Trump Acknowledges U.S. Role in Strike That Killed at Least 175 at Iranian School
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 17
Trump Acknowledges U.S. Role in Strike That Killed at Least 175 at Iranian School
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 17
Summary
At the G7 summit in France, Trump came closest yet to admitting U.S. responsibility for the Minab school strike, saying “mistakes are made” and that nobody hit it on purpose.
At least 175 people, most of them children, were killed when two U.S. airstrikes hit the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school on the war’s first day, according to Iranian officials.
U.S. military officials have privately blamed an intelligence failure: targeters relied on imagery that was 7 years old and did not show the school beside an IRGC Navy base.
That internal review also found some personnel had noticed a base building appeared to have been converted into a school, but the warning never reached officials approving targets.
More than 100 days later, the Pentagon says the case is still under investigation; it is the deadliest U.S.-caused civilian casualty incident since a 1991 Baghdad shelter bombing killed more than 400.
How did a school remain a valid military target for seven years in U.S. intelligence databases?
When AI targeting leads to civilian deaths, who is ultimately held accountable for the lethal error?
Does a focus on 'maximum lethality' in U.S. military doctrine increase the risk of civilian casualties?
Over 150 Killed in Minab: U.S. Strike on Iranian School Sparks Global Outrage and Demands for Accountability
Overview
As of June 2026, the U.S. government faces mounting pressure over its lack of public acknowledgment and investigation into the deadly strike on an Iranian school, which killed at least 175 people, mostly children. This silence has fueled international condemnation, with the United Nations calling the attack a violation of international humanitarian law. Human rights organizations stress that victims deserve truth and justice, while the absence of official U.S. confirmation or explanation has intensified demands for transparency and accountability. The ongoing lack of answers highlights serious concerns about military conduct and the protection of civilians in conflict zones.