Summary of this article
The United Nations has begun an official inquiry into a missile strike on an Iranian primary school that killed 168 children
The probe follows reports suggesting US forces were likely responsible for the attack, which occurred on the opening day of US-Israeli strikes.
If US responsibility is confirmed, the strike would become one of the deadliest incidents involving civilian casualties in decades of American military operations in the Middle East.
The United Nations has officially launched an inquiry into a missile strike on an Iranian primary school that killed 168 children, as international focus sharpens on the mounting civilian death toll and the potential role of US forces in the incident.
The attack, which occurred on the opening day of coordinated US-Israeli military actions, targeted the Shajareh Tayyebeh School. According to Iranian officials, two missiles struck the facility in rapid succession, with the majority of the fatalities being young girls.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva on Tuesday, Max du Plessis, a member of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, confirmed that the probe is in its preliminary stages. However, he stated that investigators have already gathered credible reports supporting the casualty figures.
“It’s clear that there is a critical need for such an investigation to be done and for an independent outcome to follow,” du Plessis said.
The UN inquiry gains significance following a Reuters report earlier this month which cited US military investigators suggesting it was "likely" that American forces were behind the devastating strike. While the Pentagon has since elevated the priority of its own internal investigation into the incident, no definitive conclusion has been reached regarding responsibility.
If US involvement is confirmed, the strike would rank as one of the deadliest incidents involving civilian casualties in decades of American military engagement in the Middle East.
The investigation comes at a time of heightened scrutiny regarding the conduct of all warring parties, as the human cost of the ongoing conflict continues to escalate.
