Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards announced on Friday that it had targeted a US military base in the United Arab Emirates in response to an alleged strike on a school in southern Iran.
According to Iranian authorities, an attack hit a girls’ elementary school in Minab County last Saturday, reportedly killing over 150 people, including students. The claim has not been independently verified, and AFP reported it has been unable to access the site to confirm casualties.
In a statement broadcast on Iranian state television, the Revolutionary Guards said: “Al-Dhafra air base, belonging to American forces in the region, was targeted using drones and precision missiles.”
Neither the United States nor Israel has claimed responsibility for the reported school strike, which occurred near locations controlled by the Revolutionary Guards.
The Pentagon confirmed it is investigating the incident, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States would “not deliberately target a school.”
An investigation by The New York Times on Thursday suggested that the US military was the “most likely” party behind the attack. The analysis relied on social media posts, photos, and videos from witnesses, indicating the school was struck at the same time as a nearby Revolutionary Guards naval base.
