Donald Trump: Again questions US responsibility for strike on Iranian school in Minab – 'Maybe it wasn't our missile'
Donald Trump expressed new doubts about whether the U.S. military launched the bombing of a school in Minab, southern Iran, where more than 100 children were killed. The strike occurred on February 28, the first day of the war in the Middle East.
"What happened is horrific, but there were missiles flying in all directions. Someone said it was our missile, well, maybe it wasn't. I haven't seen anything to lead me to believe it was," the U.S. president said.
He added that the skies were "full of missiles launched by others," responding to reporters' questions during his meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House.
Investigation into the circumstances of the strike
Trump's comments came as debate continues over the circumstances of the bombing. According to a March report by the New York Times, based on statements by U.S. officials and sources familiar with the investigation's progress, the school strike was caused by a targeting error by the U.S. military.
In mid-May, the U.S. military stated that the investigation into the strike, which was assigned to an "external organization," was "complex" but "nearing its end." A senior official had said the findings would be made public when deemed appropriate.
"I have to wait for it to end," Donald Trump replied when asked about the investigation's conclusions.
The Republican president expressed new doubts about whether the process will lead to a clear attribution of responsibility.
"I don't know if they will ever solve this problem, in terms of accountability. I don't know if they will say it was one of our missiles (...) because missiles were flying in all directions," he insisted.
Tehran's reports and Israel's stance
The bombing of the school complex in Minab occurred on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli attack against the Islamic Republic. According to Tehran, 155 people were killed in the strike, including 120 children.
Iranian authorities have maintained from the outset that the strike was carried out by the U.S. military. The U.S. president initially denied it was a U.S. bombing and blamed Iran. He then partially backtracked and assured he would "accept" the findings of the investigation launched by the Pentagon.
Israel denied any involvement in the specific bombing.
The French Press Agency (AFP) notes it was able to verify that the school was located near two facilities controlled by the Revolutionary Guards. However, the agency could not verify either the death toll from the strike or the exact circumstances of the incident.
In late March, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, called on the Pentagon to complete the investigation "as soon as possible" and make its findings "public."
Sources: APE-MPE, AFP, Reuters
