US Strikes On Iran May Constitute War Crimes

US Strikes on Iran May Constitute War Crimes

Two deadly US strikes in Iran during the opening days of the war, including an attack that hit an elementary school, may have constituted war crimes, according to a new report by a United Nations fact-finding mission. The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran said it found “reasonable grounds to believe” that the United States carried out indiscriminate attacks that caused civilian deaths and damage to civilian objectsThe most serious incident involved the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab, southern Iran, which was struck on February 28, 2026. Iranian officials reported that at least 156 people were killed, including approximately 120 children and 26 teachers. The UN investigation concluded that the school was a clearly identifiable civilian facility and found no evidence that it was being used for military purposes. Investigators said the United States failed to take feasible steps to verify that the school was a legitimate military target. The report also cited evidence suggesting that outdated intelligence may have incorrectly linked the school to a nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval facility. The UN mission said the circumstances went beyond simple negligence and concluded that the attack constituted an indiscriminate attack under international humanitarian law. The investigation also examined a separate US strike in Lamerd, where a sports facility and surrounding residential area were hit on the same day. According to the UN, 22 civilians were killed in the attack. Investigators concluded that the strike was also indiscriminate because the effects of the weapons used could not be sufficiently limited to a specific military target in the populated area. US Central Command has previously denied carrying out strikes in Lamerd on that date. A US State Department official that told Trump administration does not consider the UN report credibleThe Pentagon has also declined to release the findings of its own investigation into the Minab school strike, saying its investigation remains ongoing. Earlier US reporting indicated that an internal military investigation had determined that US forces were likely responsible for the strike. President Donald Trump previously said that “nobody” intentionally attacked a girls’ school in Iran, attributing the incident to an apparent mistake The same UN investigation examined Iran’s crackdown on anti-government protests that began in late 2025.Investigators accused Iranian authorities of unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and restrictions on freedom of expression, describing the pattern of abuses as potentially amounting to crimes against humanity. The UN mission’s findings are investigative rather than a judicial ruling, but its report could potentially be used as evidence in future national or international criminal proceedings.