White House Dismisses Reports of Strike on Iranian Girls' School as Propaganda
White House press secretary Karine Leavitt has forcefully rejected emerging reports that a recent military operation involving United States and Israeli forces targeted a girls' elementary school in Iran, resulting in significant casualties. During a press briefing on Wednesday, Leavitt responded to questions about the alleged incident with skepticism, suggesting the information originated from Iranian state media propaganda efforts.
Details of the Alleged Incident
According to Iranian state media and health officials, the strike occurred early Saturday morning in Minab, located in Iran's southern Hormozgan province. The reports claim the attack hit Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school during morning classes, killing up to 175 people—most of them schoolgirls between the ages of 7 and 12. Iranian authorities released images showing graves being prepared for the victims and broadcast funeral processions through Minab's streets on state television.
Video footage from the scene shows black smoke rising from a damaged building decorated with murals featuring crayons, children, and an apple. CBS News confirmed the video's geolocation to a building in Minab, though international journalists have not been granted independent access to verify the death toll or circumstances.
Official Responses and Investigations
When pressed about U.S. awareness of the strike, Leavitt stated, "Not that we know of," before launching into a broader critique of Iranian tactics. "The United States of America does not target civilians, unlike the rogue Iranian regime that targets civilians, that kills children, that has killed thousands of their own people in the past several weeks and uses propaganda quite effectively," she asserted during the briefing.
The Department of Defense has initiated an investigation into the matter, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth telling BBC News, "All I can say is that we're investigating, and that we of course never target civilian targets." Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed this position on Monday, emphasizing that U.S. military objectives focus on missile capabilities rather than civilian infrastructure.
Broader Context and Casualty Claims
The alleged school strike occurs against a backdrop of escalating tensions and conflicting casualty reports. Iranian state media claims the country's overall death toll has surpassed 1,000 with 6,000 wounded, while U.S. Central Command reports six American service members killed in recent operations. Neither the United States nor Israel has claimed responsibility for the Minab incident.
Iranian health ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour described the school victims as "young child martyrs" in a social media post, while Iranian officials note the building's proximity to two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities. The White House maintains its position that reports of civilian targeting constitute deliberate misinformation campaigns from Tehran.
