Conflicting accounts have surfaced following the bombing of a school in Iran during US-Israeli military actions in the region. The Cube analyses satellite photos and news coverage attempting to explain the circumstances.
A missile attack on the Shajarah Tayyebeh primary school in southern Iran resulted in over 170 fatalities, provoking global condemnation amid the ongoing war in Iran.
ADVERTISEMENT 
ADVERTISEMENT
UNESCO characterised the event as a «serious breach of humanitarian law,» with officials and media outlets widely describing it as the deadliest strike of the conflict to date.
Both the US and Iran quickly accused each other, and a probe to clarify the facts and assign responsibility is currently underway.
The Cube, Euronews’ fact-checking team, examined satellite images alongside press reports to unravel the sequence of events before and after the tragedy.
The timeline
The attack occurred on the morning of 28 February, with Iranian state media reporting that more than 100 children were among the deceased.
This incident coincided with an assault on a nearby naval facility operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), as satellite visuals confirm their close proximity.
Official US military declarations indicate their operations targeted naval installations in the vicinity, implying that this base was likely among the intended targets.
In a briefing on 3 March, US Central Command detailed that Operation Epic Fury focused on destroying IRGC command and control points along the Hormozgan coast in southern Iran to prevent the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Footage confirms the use of Tomahawk missiles during these attacks, and the US is the sole participant in the conflict known to deploy this type of missile—contradicting former President Donald Trump’s assertion that they are generic.
«Well, I haven’t seen it, and I will say that the Tomahawk, which is one of the most powerful weapons around, is sold and used by other countries,» Trump declared at a press briefing on 9 March. «And whether it’s Iran — [who] also has some Tomahawks, they wish they had more — but whether it’s Iran or somebody else, the fact that a Tomahawk… a Tomahawk is very generic. It’s sold to other countries.»
Contradicting the president’s remarks, only Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, and the UK have acquired or operate Tomahawk missiles outside the US, none of which are engaged in the conflict in Iran.
The investigative organization Bellingcat, which also geolocated footage released by Iran’s semi-official Mehr News, reported that the video contradicts Trump’s claim assigning blame to Iran.
According to their findings, the school was likely hit by a Tomahawk missile amid a rapid series of bombs targeting the site.
Assigning blame
Despite this, Trump has maintained accusations against Tehran. «Based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran,» he insisted on 7 March. «We believe Iran carried it out because they are notoriously inaccurate with their munitions. They have zero accuracy. It was done by Iran.»
Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stressed that the US is committed to preventing civilian casualties and pledges a thorough inquiry into any allegations to the contrary.
Iran attributes responsibility to the US and Israel, with Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warning such «crimes against the Iranian People will not go unanswered».
Israel, serving as the US’s chief ally in the conflict, denied any participation in the school strike.
«We have conducted multiple checks and found no link between the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] and the events at that school,» stated Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani.
Preliminary report implicates US
However, on 11 March, the New York Times published a piece conveying that an initial investigation identified US responsibility in the school attack.
Sources familiar with the inquiry, including US officials and others briefed, stated the strike was mistakenly conducted due to outdated targeting information from the Defence Intelligence Agency that erroneously classified the school as a military objective.
The probe is ongoing, with the New York Times noting unresolved issues over the use of obsolete data and failures in verification processes.
Local media report that the school had been previously used as a military facility before its conversion.
The Cube identified satellite images from 2013 showing the school as part of the same complex as the base, yet more recent photos reveal it has since been enclosed by fencing.
When questioned about the ongoing inquiry, Trump stated he was unaware of the details; nonetheless, he faces mounting domestic criticism over his handling of the Iran attack.
Democrats denounced the «horrific» strike on the Shajarah Tayyebeh primary school and demanded a prompt investigation, while European leaders urged utmost restraint and guarantees against civilian harm as hostilities persist.
– Contribution by Noa Schumann.