A preliminary US military investigation has found that an American strike in southern Iran may have mistakenly hit an elementary school, killing at least 168 children and 14 teachers, after outdated intelligence was used to identify a nearby military target.

The deadly strike occurred on February 28 in the city of Minab in Iran’s Hormozgan province, when US forces were conducting operations against a facility belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

According to two sources briefed on the early findings of the investigation, the attack targeted coordinates created using outdated intelligence about an IRGC naval base located near the Shajareh Tayyiba elementary school.

The coordinates were reportedly generated by the Defense Intelligence Agency and later used by US Central Command when planning the strike.

Officials familiar with the probe told CNN that the incorrect information likely contributed to the missile hitting the school compound rather than the intended military target.

A spokesperson for the Defense Intelligence Agency confirmed the incident is under investigation but declined to provide further details, referring inquiries to the Pentagon. US Central Command also refused to comment on the preliminary findings, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Satellite Images Reveal Changes to the Area

Satellite imagery reviewed by investigators suggests the school and the military facility were once part of the same compound more than a decade ago.

Images taken in 2013 show the school and the IRGC base located within a single complex.

However, by 2016, a fence had been constructed separating the school from the military facility, and a separate entrance had been built for the school.

More recent satellite images taken in December 2025 showed dozens of people in the school courtyard, apparently engaged in everyday activities.

The existence of the school at the location appears to have been known in publicly available satellite data for several years.

Missile Footage Points to US Weapon

Video footage geolocated by CNN and filmed from a nearby construction site captured the moment of the strike.

The video, released by Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency, shows a missile believed by experts to be a US-made BGM or UGM-109 Tomahawk Land Attack Missile striking inside the IRGC base.

Moments later, as the camera pans toward the right, a large plume of smoke can be seen rising from the direction of the Shajareh Tayyiba school.

Iranian authorities later released photographs of missile fragments that they claim were recovered from the strike site.

Images shared by the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB show debris that analysts say appears consistent with parts of an American Tomahawk cruise missile.

However, investigators say it remains unclear whether the fragments came from the strike on the school, the nearby IRGC base, or another location.

Trump Says He Was Unaware of Report

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he had not seen the report that a US investigation had preliminarily concluded American forces were responsible for the deadly strike.

“I don’t know about that,” Trump said when asked about the report.

Earlier, Trump had suggested that Iran might be responsible for the incident, though he later acknowledged he did not have enough information.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the investigation was still ongoing and no final conclusions had been reached.

Pentagon Promises Full Investigation

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the incident would be “thoroughly investigated.”

He stated that the US military takes extensive precautions to avoid civilian casualties during operations.

At the same time, Hegseth accused Iran of targeting civilians indiscriminately during regional conflicts.

The investigation into the strike remains ongoing, and officials say it may take weeks before a final determination of responsibility is released.