EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France, June 17 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that “nobody” purposefully attacked a girls’ school in Iran in February, citing an investigation into the incident.
Reuters first reported that an initial internal U.S. military investigation showed U.S. forces were likely responsible for the fatal strike in Minab in southern Iran. The Pentagon has since elevated the probe but it has not acknowledged any preliminary findings.
The strike on February 28, the first day of the conflict, killed more than 175 children and teachers, according to Iranian officials.
“That’s under investigation,” Trump said at a press conference on the sidelines of the Group of Seven conference in Evian-les-Bains, France, adding that mistakes are made in war. “Nobody did that on purpose.”
Trump initially claimed, without evidence, that Iran was responsible. He has since said he does not know enough about the strike, that an investigation is ongoing and that he will accept the results of the inquiry.
Last month, the head of U.S. Central Command said the investigation into the strike at the girls’ school has been “complex” given that it was located on an active Iranian cruise missile base but that the probe is approaching its conclusion.
Archived copies of the school’s official website show the school is adjacent to a compound operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the military force that reports to Iran’s supreme leader.
Reuters, citing sources familiar with the matter, has reported that U.S. officials responsible for creating targeting packages appeared to have used out-of-date intelligence.
(Reporting by Steve Holland and Trevor Hunnicutt. Writing by Idrees Ali; editing by Michelle Nichols and Sanjeev Miglani)
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