The U.S. army stated on Friday (March 13, 2026) it has elevated the investigation right into a devastating February 28 strike on an Iranian women’ college after media studies revealed the probe exhibits U.S. forces had been seemingly accountable.
Iran has stated the strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Faculty killed 168 youngsters. If U.S. fault is confirmed, it might rank among the many worst incidents of civilian deaths in a long time of U.S. army strikes in West Asia. Reutersfirst reported the investigation’s preliminary findings on March 5.
Citing the seriousness of the matter, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to touch upon the preliminary discovering of the investigation, saying: “We’re not going to let reporting lead us or drive our hand into indicating what occurred.”
He stated a higher-level investigation could be led by an unnamed U.S. normal officer from outdoors of U.S. Central Command, which is overseeing operations towards Iran. Such a transfer is usually taken by the U.S. army to make sure larger independence for investigators.
“The command investigation will take so long as vital to deal with all of the issues surrounding this incident,” Mr. Hegseth instructed a press convention on the Pentagon.
Iran’s new supreme chief blamed the nation’s enemies for the college strike in his first message to the nation on Thursday (March 12, 2026), with out explicitly saying the U.S. was accountable.
Probe can be utilized for disciplinary motion
Three U.S. officers instructed Reutersthe command investigation Mr. Hegseth referred to is an administrative probe often known as a 15-6, which may change into the premise for disciplinary motion if warranted. It often contains sworn statements or interviews with these concerned. The officers spoke on situation of anonymity to explain inner army processes.
The pinnacle of U.S. Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, ordered the 15-6 probe final week after the preliminary assessment was accomplished. The surface officer was appointed on Thursday (March 12, 2026), one official stated.
The event underscores the intense concern about how to reply to potential U.S. duty for the tragedy and the necessity to comprehensively study the incident.
“It indicators a recognition that one thing went fallacious and to attempt to perceive what occurred and why,” stated Annie Shiel, U.S. advocacy director with the Middle for Civilians in Battle.
What we find out about alleged strike on Iran college
Trump initially blamed Iran
It stays unclear how U.S. forces might have struck the college. Preliminary findings recommend U.S. forces could have relied upon outdated focusing on information that apparently didn’t distinguish between the college and the adjoining Iranian army base in Minab, a city in southern Iran. Video and different proof recommend the college was hit by a Tomahawk cruise missile, a highly effective, precision-guided munition that few nations aside from the U.S. possess.
The investigation comes regardless of public feedback by President Donald Trump initially doubting the opportunity of U.S. involvement that stoked concern amongst some protection officers about whether or not he could be prepared to simply accept blame.
The president initially stated, with out providing proof, that Iran could have attacked the college and instructed Tehran could have Tomahawk missiles, which army specialists name extraordinarily unlikely.
Nonetheless, Mr. Trump on Monday (March 9, 2026) stated publicly he would “actually” settle for the outcomes of the U.S. investigation: “Regardless of the report exhibits, I’m prepared to dwell with that report.”
A second U.S. official pointed to these remarks as proof that Trump was transferring towards accepting the preliminary investigation outcomes. Additional, the official stated public dialogue of the investigation had made it politically tough for Mr. Trump to reject the findings as soon as they’re finalized.
The official famous {that a} 15-6 investigation mirrored the seriousness of the Trump administration’s method to the investigation as a result of it might comprehensively study what went fallacious and the way to appropriate these points.
Faculty’s on-line presence
A Reutersvisible investigation printed on Thursday (March 12, 2026) confirmed the Iranian college had a years-long, public on-line presence, together with dozens of images of the kids and their actions.
The Shajareh Tayyebeh Faculty was certainly one of 59 colleges inside the Persian Gulf Martyrs’ Cultural Instructional Institute, a community affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the army drive that studies to Iran’s supreme chief, in keeping with archived copies of the community’s web site.
United Nations ‘deeply disturbed’ by strike on Iran college that killed over 160 youngsters
The college’s web site contains images of scholars gathered within the yard, which matched verified movies outdoors the constructing after the strike.
Satellite tv for pc imagery from mid-2015 exhibits the constructing was walled off from the Iranian army base and seems to have operated as a faculty since at the very least 2018, when the painted murals are first seen on its outer partitions.
Printed – March 14, 2026 03:25 am IST
