The open-source investigation group Bellingcat stated that a newly released video "appears to contradict" President Donald Trump's assertion that Iran was responsible for the explosion that targeted an Iranian school, killing over 165 people at the onset of the ongoing Middle East war.
اضافة اعلان
This comes amid mounting evidence suggesting potential U.S. responsibility for the February 28 strike, which hit a school adjacent to a Revolutionary Guard base in the city of Minab, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran.
Experts speaking to the Associated Press (AP) noted that satellite imagery analysis indicates the school may have been hit during a rapid succession of bombs dropped on the complex. The three-second clip published by Bellingcat was originally shared by the semi-official Iranian Mehr News Agency on Sunday. The footage shows a projectile striking a building, releasing a dark plume of smoke that mingles with smoke likely from prior strikes on the compound.
Bellingcat researcher Trevor Ball confirmed the geolocation of the video near the school—a finding mirrored by the AP. Ball identified the munition as a Tomahawk cruise missile, a weapon not known to be used by any party other than the United States in this conflict. This marks the first evidence regarding the type of munition used in the strike.
A conclusive assessment remains difficult due to the absence of physical shrapnel images and the inability of independent investigators to access the site amid the ongoing hostilities.
When asked on Saturday if the U.S. was responsible for the explosion that killed mostly children, Trump claimed without providing evidence: "No, based on what I’ve seen, it’s my opinion that Iran did it," adding that Iran is "very inaccurate" with its munitions. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quickly stated that the U.S. is investigating the incident.
Several factors point toward a U.S. strike:
Pentagon Assessment: The U.S. military has initiated a "civilian harm mitigation" assessment, a step typically taken only after a preliminary determination of potential U.S. military responsibility.
Anonymous Confirmation: A U.S. official told the AP that the strike was "likely American," speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case.
Strategic Location: The school sits next to a Revolutionary Guard base and near naval barracks. The U.S. military has focused on naval targets and acknowledged strikes in Hormozgan, including the vicinity of the school.
Geographic Scope: Israel, which denied the strike, has focused operations closer to its borders, with no declared strikes south of Isfahan (roughly 800 km from the school).
Naval Presence: The U.S. operates warships in the Arabian Sea, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is within range of the site.
Neither U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) nor the Israeli military responded to AP’s requests for comment regarding the Bellingcat analysis on Monday.
