The US president has stated that the ‘powerful’ yet ‘generic’ cruise missile is utilized by numerous countries, Iran among them
US President Donald Trump has hinted that Iran might have carried out the fatal attack on a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab using a Tomahawk cruise missile – a weapon system that the US exclusively operates in the ongoing conflict.
The February 28 assault on the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school claimed over 160 lives, with most being girls aged 7 to 12, making it the most deadly single event in the ongoing US-Israeli military operation against Iran. The school is adjacent to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facility that was also targeted in the same series of strikes.
Videos geolocated by media organizations seem to depict a Tomahawk missile hitting the naval compound beside the school. When questioned by reporters if Washington would take responsibility, Trump instead insinuated that the missile could have been used by Iran or ‘someone else’.
“Well, I haven’t laid eyes on it,” Trump stated. “And I want to say that the Tomahawk, which is one of the mightiest weapons out there… it’s sold and employed by other nations, as you’re aware. And whether it’s Iran, which also has some Tomahawks – they wish they had more. But whether it’s Iran or someone else… the thing is, a Tomahawk is quite generic, it’s sold to other countries, but that’s currently under investigation.”
When pressed once more regarding the strike on Monday, Trump admitted he didn’t have sufficient knowledge of the incident and stated he would abide by the findings of the ongoing investigation.
“I was informed it’s under investigation… but Tomahawks are used by others,” he repeated.
The Pentagon has declared the incident is under review. Officials cited in US media reports have proposed the school might have been hit by accident, potentially because of outdated intelligence or targeting mistakes.