WASHINGTON — The White House faced intense questions this week after reports from Iranian media claimed a deadly strike hit a girls’ elementary school in southern Iran, killing dozens of children.
During a press briefing, Shawn McCreesh, a correspondent for The New York Times, asked Karoline Leavitt directly whether the United States was responsible for the attack.
“Did the United States airstrike a girls elementary school and kill 175 people?” McCreesh asked.
Reporter: Did the United States airstrike at girls elementary school and kill 175 people?
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 4, 2026
Leavitt: Not that we know of. The US does not target civilians, unlike the rogue Iranian regime that uses propaganda quite effectively. And unfortunately, many people in this room have… pic.twitter.com/YgyfTe91q2
U.S. Says Strike Claims Are Under Investigation
Leavitt said there is no confirmation that U.S. forces targeted the school, emphasizing that the situation is still under investigation by the U.S. Department of Defense.
“Not that we know of,” Leavitt said. “The United States of America does not target civilians.”
She also accused Iranian officials of spreading propaganda and warned reporters against assuming the U.S. was responsible for the strike.
Iranian outlets reported that the Shajarah Tayyebeh all-girls elementary school in the city of Minab was struck, leaving as many as 175 people dead, most of them children. The claims surfaced amid escalating tensions following joint U.S. and Israeli military strikes targeting Iranian leadership and military infrastructure.
Pentagon Responds
Earlier in the day, Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, also addressed the allegations.
“We of course never target civilian targets, but we’re taking a look and investigating that,” Hegseth said.
Rising Tensions Between U.S. and Iran
The school strike allegations come during a period of heightened conflict between the United States and Iran. Recent attacks have reportedly killed senior Iranian officials, while retaliatory drone strikes from Iran have resulted in the deaths of six U.S. service members.
Officials say the investigation into the school incident remains ongoing as international scrutiny grows over civilian casualties in the conflict.
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