Washington: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Wednesday that Washington is actively investigating an airstrike on a girls' primary school in southern Iran. Iranian authorities have reported that the attack resulted in the deaths of 168 students.

According to Anadolu Agency, Hegseth responded to inquiries about the bombing of the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' school in the city of Minab by stating, "All I can say is we're investigating that." He emphasized that the US military does not target civilian sites. Iranian officials have claimed that the school was hit on Saturday, coinciding with the first day of joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Minab Governor Mohammad Radmehr reported that the strike directly impacted the school during class hours, resulting in the deaths of girls aged between 7 and 12. The building suffered significant damage, with parts of its concrete roof collapsing onto classrooms. Iranian state media confirmed that 168 people were killed, with at least 95 others injured in the attack.

Iran has accused both the US and Israel of executing the strike, while the Israeli military stated they were not aware of any Israeli or US attack in the area. Historically, Israel has denied involvement in deadly strikes during conflicts, occasionally revising its accounts upon the emergence of further evidence.

According to Iranian media, the names of the students killed in the strike were released, listing victims such as Adrina Pegah, Afsoon Ghasemi, and Zahra Ahmadpour, among others. The tragic incident has drawn international attention as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the attack.