A devastating missile strike on an elementary school in Minab, in Iran’s Hormozgan province, has sparked global outrage after preliminary findings suggested the attack was caused by a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile launched using outdated intelligence data. The tragedy, which occurred on 28 February 2026, is considered one of the deadliest civilian casualty incidents in the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

According to early investigation reports cited by U.S. officials, the missile struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh primary school, killing more than 170 people, most of them children. Dozens of others were injured when the school building collapsed following the explosion. Rescue teams and local residents rushed to the scene, pulling victims from the rubble as emotional scenes unfolded across the city.

Preliminary Pentagon findings indicate that the strike may have been the result of a targeting error caused by outdated intelligence. Military planners reportedly used old data that identified the area as part of a facility linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). However, satellite imagery and other sources suggest the school had been separated from the military compound years earlier and had been clearly functioning as a civilian educational institution.

Investigators believe that officers responsible for setting the missile’s coordinates relied on information supplied by the Defense Intelligence Agency that had not been updated or independently verified. As a result, the targeting system mistakenly included the school location in a strike package intended for nearby military infrastructure.

Video footage and satellite analysis circulating after the attack appear to show a Tomahawk cruise missile striking the area near the school, further strengthening the claim that the strike originated from U.S. forces operating in the region. Experts analyzing the footage identified features consistent with the missile type used by the United States during precision military operations.

The incident has triggered intense international criticism and calls for accountability. Lawmakers in the United States have demanded a full investigation into how the intelligence failure occurred and whether proper verification procedures were followed. Analysts have warned that such mistakes can severely undermine civilian protection protocols during wartime operations.

The White House has stated that the investigation remains ongoing, emphasizing that the U.S. military does not intentionally target civilian infrastructure. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have strongly condemned the attack, accusing the United States of responsibility and describing the incident as a “war crime.”

As investigations continue, the Minab school strike has become a powerful symbol of the devastating human cost of modern warfare and the risks posed by intelligence failures. Experts say the findings of the inquiry could lead to changes in military targeting procedures and renewed scrutiny of how civilian sites are protected during armed conflicts.