Video Evidence Challenges Trump Claim on Deadly Strike Near Iranian School Killing 175

Newly verified video footage and analysis by The New York Times strongly indicate that a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile struck an Iranian naval base adjacent to Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab on 28 February, the day 175 people—most of them children—were reported killed in the school.

The video, first reported by the research collective Bellingcat and independently verified by The Times, shows a Tomahawk missile hitting a building described as a medical clinic within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) base. Smoke and debris erupt from the impact as screams are heard in the background. As the camera pans right, large plumes of dust and smoke are already rising from the school area, suggesting it was struck shortly before the base.

Satellite imagery captured days after the attack corroborates features visible in the footage, including a worn dirt path, grassy area, and debris piles, confirming the video’s authenticity and location.

The Times’ timeline of strikes shows the school and base were hit around the same time. Multiple other buildings in the base were also precision-targeted, according to satellite analysis.

The U.S. military is the only force in the conflict known to use Tomahawk missiles. U.S. Central Command released footage of Tomahawks being launched from Navy ships on 28 February—the same day as the Minab strikes. General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed U.S. forces conducted strikes in southern Iran, including the area near Minab, during the first 100 hours of the operation.

Weapons experts Trevor Ball (Bellingcat) and Chris Cobb-Smith (Chiron Resources) also identified the missile in the video as a Tomahawk, a long-range, highly accurate guided missile exclusive to U.S. forces.

Trump’s Contradictory Claim

On Saturday, President Trump told a reporter from The Times that the U.S. did not bomb the school. “No. In my opinion and based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran,” he said, adding that Iran’s munitions were “very inaccurate.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, standing beside Trump, said the Pentagon was investigating but insisted “the only side that targets civilians is Iran.”

The evidence—including the Tomahawk missile footage, satellite imagery, and timeline—directly contradicts the claim that Iran was responsible for the school strike.

Civilian Toll and Broader Context

Iran’s U.N. ambassador reported that U.S.-Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,332 Iranian civilians and wounded thousands. The Minab school strike is among the deadliest single incidents involving children.

The U.S. Navy has launched dozens of Tomahawks since the campaign began on 28 February. Tomahawks are submarine- or ship-launched, fly up to 1,000 miles, and carry warheads equivalent to 300 pounds of TNT.

The lack of visible weapons fragments and restricted access for outside reporters have complicated independent verification, but the combined evidence from video, satellite imagery, and official U.S. statements points to a U.S. strike.

The incident has intensified scrutiny of civilian casualties in the conflict and raised questions about targeting accuracy and decision-making in the early phase of the U.S.-Israeli operation.