Iranian daily Tehran Times sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump, claiming children were killed in American airstrikes.
On May 9 local time, Tehran Times posted its front page on social media with the headline "Trump, look them in the eyes," featuring photographs of children reportedly killed in the April 28 airstrike on Minab in Iran's southern Hormozgan province.
"Hundreds of Iranian children have died, but the U.S. president still denies bombing a Minab elementary school," the newspaper claimed.
At the center of the controversy is an attack near Shajara Tayyeba Elementary School in Minab. Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency released an approximately 8-second video on May 8, claiming it showed a missile falling near the school.
The Washington Post compared satellite imagery with landmarks in the video and estimated the filming location was approximately 400 meters south of the elementary school. According to WP, the school building was formerly part of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) base facility before being separated in 2016. IranWire reported the school gives enrollment priority to children of IRGC Navy families. However, the released victim photos and lists include boys, leaving some circumstances unclear.
The U.S. has denied responsibility. On May 7, President Trump said of the attack that reportedly killed at least 170 people: "From what I understand, Iran did it. Iran's weapons accuracy is very poor."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the matter was "under investigation," adding that "Iran is the only side that targets civilians." At a Florida Republican event on May 9, Trump dismissed U.S. responsibility again, stating: "Tomahawk missiles are used by many countries, and some purchased them from the United States."
However, expert analysis points in a different direction. CNN cited experts who said the missile appears to be a Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile operated by the U.S. military.
Wes Bryant, a former U.S. Air Force special operations targeting specialist who worked on civilian casualty analysis for the Department of Defense, said: "The sloped cylindrical structure at the front of the weapon in the video and its length are similar to a Tomahawk, and the explosion intensity matches Tomahawk characteristics."
N.R. Jenzen-Jones, director of Armament Research Services (ARES), assessed: "Given that U.S. and Israeli operational zones are separated, the Tomahawk missile in the video suggests the attack may have been carried out by the United States."
Experts commissioned by WP found no signs of manipulation using AI or other methods in the video. WP reported satellite imagery analysis showed at least 11 locations in the area appear to have been bombed. The controversy over the facts and responsibility for the airstrike continues.