US SECRETARY OF War Pete Hegseth has refused to provide any updates on whether the US was responsible for an alleged air strike on a girls’ school in Iran on Saturday, which Iranian officials say killed at least 165 people.

Iran has blamed Israel and the United States for the strike on the school in the city of Minab, but neither country has confirmed or denied responsibility. 

In a press briefing today, Hegseth was asked for an update on the incident and he responded that the Pentagon was “investigating it”. 

“All I can say is that we’re investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets, but we’re taking a look and investigating that.”

Pushed by a BBC reporter for clarity on “whose munition this was” given it was “several days on now”, Hegseth simply repeated: “We’re investigating it.”

Hegseth’s answer was four days on from the first public statement by US officials on the incident.

The day after the explosion, United States Central Command said: “We are aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations. We take these reports seriously and are looking into them.”

Yesterday, thousands of mourners gathered in the Iranian city of Minab for the funerals of the schoolgirls who were killed. 

State television carried images showing a large crowd of mourners weeping over what appeared to be bodies wrapped in white shrouds.

Coffins holding the bodies of mostly children are prepared for the funeral of those killed. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

An analysis of footage by the New York Times estimated that half of the school building had been destroyed in the explosion.

The United Nations has also called for a thorough investigation into the explosion. 

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“The committee is alarmed by reports of strikes on civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, which have injured and traumatised children, and claimed many young lives,” said a statement by the UN’s Committee on the Rights of the Child.

This is a reminder that children are among the most vulnerable in armed conflicts, and must never be treated as collateral damage.

Minab is strategically located close to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes, especially for oil and gas.

At the press conference today, Hegseth said the US operation in Iran is “just getting started” and is “accelerating not decelerating”. 

He also added that the Iranian regime “are toast, and they know it, or at least soon enough, they will know it”.

- With reporting by © – AFP 2026