Former US President Donald Trump has been questioned about a devastating missile strike on a girls school in Iran that resulted in the deaths of more than 165 people, stating he is "willing to live with" the outcome of any investigation while suggesting Iran may also have access to Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Trump's Comments on the Tragedy
When pressed by reporters in Florida about whether the United States would accept responsibility for the February 28 strike on the school in Minab, located in Iran's southern Hormozgan Province, Trump initially claimed he "hadn't seen it." He then proceeded to argue that Tomahawk missiles are "very generic" weapons that are "sold and used by other countries," specifically mentioning Iran as a nation that "also has some Tomahawks and wishes it has more."
"Whether it is Iran or somebody else, the fact it is a Tomahawk - a Tomahawk is very generic, it is sold to other countries, but that is being investigated right now," Trump stated during the exchange.
Mounting Evidence Points to US Involvement
New footage analyzed by the investigative group Bellingcat and circulated by Iran's semiofficial Mehr news agency appears to show a US Tomahawk missile striking a compound just meters from the school on the day of the attack. The video, taken from an adjacent site, depicts a missile hitting a building and sending a dark plume of smoke into the air, with satellite imagery confirming visual identifiers including a flat-roofed building, power lines, and vehicles.
US Central Command has acknowledged using Tomahawk missiles in the ongoing Middle East conflict and even released a photograph of the USS Spruance, part of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group positioned within range of the school, firing a Tomahawk missile on February 28. A US official familiar with internal deliberations told the Associated Press that the strike was likely American.
Contradictions and Lack of Certainty
When questioned about why he appears to be the only person in his administration claiming Iran possesses Tomahawks, Trump responded, "I just don't know enough about it, it is something that I was told it is under investigation but Tomahawks are used by others." He added, "Whatever the report shows I am ready to live with that report."
This statement comes despite the fact that the Tomahawk missile is manufactured by US defense contractor Raytheon and has only been sold to American allies, with no public evidence suggesting Iran operates these weapons. The strike occurred near a Revolutionary Guard base, raising questions about the intended target and the tragic collateral damage at the adjacent school.
Context of the Ongoing Conflict
The incident highlights the escalating tensions and devastating human cost of the war raging in the Middle East, where precision weapons like the Tomahawk have become central to military operations. The school strike represents one of the deadliest single incidents involving civilian casualties since the conflict began, drawing international attention to the rules of engagement and accountability in modern warfare.
As investigations continue into the precise origins of the missile that struck the Iranian girls school, Trump's comments reflect both a distancing from immediate responsibility and an attempt to shift the narrative toward broader weapons proliferation concerns, even as evidence mounts pointing toward US involvement in the tragedy that claimed over 165 lives.
