Rubio Says U.S. Would Not Target School After Deadly Iran Strike Reports

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States “would not deliberately target a school” after Iranian state media reported that more than 160 people were killed in an alleged airstrike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab, southern Iran. The reported attack, which allegedly occurred on the first day of coordinated U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, has been described as the deadliest single incident since the conflict escalated.

According to Iranian media, the strike hit a girls’ school on Saturday as U.S. and Israeli forces launched air raids targeting sites in Tehran and other locations. The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command have not confirmed responsibility. Over the weekend, Central Command stated it was “looking into” reports of possible civilian casualties linked to ongoing military operations.

When questioned by reporters, Rubio emphasized that any confirmed involvement would be reviewed. “The United States would not deliberately target a school,” he said, adding that the Department of Defense would investigate if U.S. forces were responsible. He reiterated that targeting educational institutions, hospitals, or other civilian infrastructure would violate international humanitarian law and could constitute a war crime.

The incident has drawn international condemnation. UNESCO and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai criticized the reported strike, stressing the need to protect children and schools during armed conflict. Rosemary DiCarlo, the U.N. under-secretary-general for peacebuilding, acknowledged the reports and noted that U.S. officials were reviewing the allegations. However, she said details remain unclear.

Israel’s U.N. ambassador Danny Danon said conflicting accounts had emerged, including claims that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may have been involved. Reuters has not independently verified the reports.

The widening U.S.-Israel air campaign against Iran began Saturday and intensified following Iranian retaliation. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed over the weekend. President Donald Trump stated the military operation could continue for several weeks as tensions in the region remain high.