Trump blamed Iran for a school strike. News investigations suggest the U.S. was responsible.

Open-source analyses by Bellingcat and major newsrooms challenge the president’s claim as the military investigates what happened

When President Donald Trump said Iran was responsible for the missile strike on a girls’ elementary school, he preempted an ongoing military investigation and contradicted forensic analyses by multiple news outlets.

“In my opinion, based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran,” Trump told reporters March 7. “Because they are very inaccurate, as you know, with their munitions. They have no accuracy whatsoever. It was done by Iran.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was standing alongside Trump on Air Force One, told reporters, “We’re certainly investigating. But the only, the only side that targets civilians is Iran.”