High-resolution satellite images from Planet Labs, analyzed by BBC, NPR, The New York Times, and other independent outlets, confirm that the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ primary school was bombed repeatedly on February 28, leaving at least 165 dead, mostly students aged 7 to 12. The analysis reveals multiple impact points and burn marks around the school building and nearby structures in the adjacent complex of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), suggesting simultaneous or near-simultaneous strikes in the area.
Munitions experts, such as N.R. Jenzen Jones (cited by BBC), indicate that the pattern of damage points to precise and repeated bombings. NPR reports that the attack was part of a precision strike against the neighboring military complex, but included more targets than initially reported, including additional buildings near the school. The New York Times concludes that the severe damage to the school occurred at the same time as attacks on an IRGC naval base, with evidence from verified videos and social media posts that coincide with the timing of U.S. operations in southern Iran.
Iran directly attributes the bombing to the U.S. and Israel in their joint campaign. Internal Pentagon sources admit to Reuters that U.S. responsibility is “likely,” although the official investigation is still ongoing. Neither Washington nor Tel Aviv has assumed culpability: the U.S. says it is “investigating” and denies deliberate civilian targeting, while Israel claims not to have operations in that exact area.
The UN and UNESCO condemn the incident as a serious violation of humanitarian law, recalling that schools are protected. The selectivity of the strikes (avoiding a nearby clinic but destroying the school) raises questions about negligence or intentionality. Thousands of Iranians attend mass funerals as the demand for international accountability grows.
References
BBC News. (2026, March 5). Iran school and nearby military base struck multiple times, satellite image reveals. Link
NPR. (2026, March 4). Satellite images show Iran school strike hit more buildings than earlier reported. Link
The New York Times. (2026, March 5). Analysis suggests school was hit amid U.S. strikes on Iranian naval base. Link
Reuters. (2026, March 6). Exclusive: US investigation points to likely US responsibility in Iran school strike, sources say. Link
Al Jazeera. (2026, March 3). Al Jazeera investigation: Iran girls’ school targeting likely ‘deliberate’. Link
