Research group Bellingcat released video footage that appears to contradict President Trump's assertion that Iran was responsible for a February 28 explosion at an Iranian school that killed over 165 people. The video shows what experts identify as a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile striking near the school, adding to mounting evidence of American involvement in the deadly attack.
New video evidence is challenging President Donald Trump’s statements about a devastating explosion at an Iranian school that claimed more than 165 lives during the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The research organization Bellingcat has analyzed recently released footage that they say contradicts Trump’s assertion that Iran caused the deadly February 28 blast at a school located next to a Revolutionary Guard facility in Minab, Iran’s southern Hormozgan Province.
The three-second video clip, originally distributed by Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency, captures the moment a weapon strikes a building, creating a dark cloud of smoke that mixes with existing smoke from what appear to be previous attacks on the compound. Bellingcat researcher Trevor Ball determined the footage was filmed at a location near the targeted school, a finding confirmed independently by The Associated Press.
Ball’s analysis identified the weapon as a Tomahawk cruise missile, a munition exclusively used by the United States in this conflict. This marks the first concrete evidence regarding the type of weapon involved in the strike.
The investigation faces obstacles due to the absence of bomb fragment images from the explosion site, and no independent organization has been able to access the location during the ongoing war.
When a reporter questioned Trump on Saturday about potential U.S. responsibility for the attack that primarily killed children, the president denied involvement, stating: “No, in my opinion, based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran.” Trump also claimed Iran has poor accuracy with their weapons, offering no supporting evidence. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth immediately announced that the U.S. was conducting an investigation.
Multiple indicators suggest American involvement in the strike.
The U.S. military has initiated a formal assessment of the incident, which according to Pentagon protocols for reducing civilian casualties, only occurs when investigators initially determine possible U.S. military responsibility. An unnamed U.S. official, speaking confidentially due to the sensitive nature of the matter, told the AP that American forces likely carried out the strike.
The school’s proximity to the Revolutionary Guard base and nearby naval barracks also raises questions. U.S. forces have concentrated on naval installations and have confirmed conducting operations in the province, including strikes near the school’s location.
Israel has rejected any involvement in the attack and has typically targeted Iranian sites closer to Israeli territory, with no reported strikes south of Isfahan, located 800 kilometers away. Meanwhile, U.S. naval vessels, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, are positioned in the Arabian Sea within striking distance of the school.
Both U.S. Central Command and Israeli military officials did not immediately respond to AP requests for comment regarding Bellingcat’s findings on Monday.
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