US Commander Avoids Blame for Deadly Iran School Attack, Cites Complex Probe

A top commander of US forces in the Middle East avoided taking responsibility on Tuesday for an attack on a school in Iran that left 155 people dead on day one of the war, insisting a “complex” probe continues.

Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), told a congressional oversight panel that “the school itself is located on an active IRGC cruise missile base”, making the investigation “more complex than the average strike”. IRGC stands for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The attack killed 73 boys, 47 girls, 26 teachers, seven parents, a school bus driver, and another adult in the southern city of Minab on February 28, according to Iranian state media. The US has repeatedly avoided assuming responsibility for the tragedy.

Cooper was responding to questioning by House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith, a Democrat, who said that, “in the past, when we’ve had these types of mistakes, they have been quickly acknowledged, even if a further investigation is necessary”.

Cooper promised to share the results of the investigation when it was complete. Smith responded by saying: “So that’s a ‘no’. We will not take responsibility for something we very obviously did.”

The New York Times has previously reported that the school was hit by a US Tomahawk cruise missile, a weapon which Iran does not possess. CNN has also reported that the US was responsible for the attack.