Sky News investigation into Minab school attack finds all evidence points to US being responsible

Summary
This documentary investigation produced by Sky News examines the deadly airstrike on a primary school in Minab, Iran, during the opening day of the US–Iran war on 28 February 2026. Presented by Sky News international correspondent Dominic Waghorn alongside investigative reporters, weapons experts, and Forensic Architecture researchers, the film reconstructs the attack using on-the-ground reporting, survivor testimonies, satellite imagery, and 3D architectural modeling. The investigation concludes that the strike was carried out by a US Tomahawk cruise missile due to outdated intelligence targeting databases and systemic failures within the Department of Defense.

What is shown

• On-the-ground reporting in Minab [02:15–04:45, 10:20–12:35]: Dominic Waghorn travels across southern Iran to Minab, documenting the town in mourning, interviewing eyewitnesses, first responders, and visiting the cemetery where victims are buried.
• Interviews with victims’ families and survivors [03:55–08:30, 11:50–12:35, 40:05–43:00]: Masoud and Khadija Jafari discuss their deceased 9-year-old son Mohammad Taha; Razieh Zarei describes losing her 8-year-old daughter Athareh; survivor Parastesh (11) and teacher Wajiheh Zakari recount the direct hit on the school.
• 3D forensic reconstruction with Forensic Architecture [26:15–28:55]: Researchers Dr. Samaneh Moafi, Ben van der Merwe, and Annoa Abekah-Mensah map archived photos and videos into a 3D architectural model of the school, matching classroom layouts, playground areas, and the five-meter-wide blast crater.
• Satellite and missile footage analysis [19:00–19:35, 27:45–30:25, 33:15–34:25]: Verified footage showing Tomahawk missile tail fins hitting adjacent compound buildings, Copernicus satellite imagery placing the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group in the Arabian Sea, and Maxar/Vantor satellite history from 2015 to December 2025 showing children’s shadows in the playground.
• Targeting database and policy failure analysis [34:35–42:00]: Whistleblower testimony and interviews with former Pentagon targeting specialist Wes Bryant, international law professor Jessica Dorsey, and former Pentagon lawyer Oona Hathaway detailing un-updated DIA target databases and the dismantling of the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence.
• Official US statements and press conferences [18:35–20:55, 25:15–25:50, 42:00–44:45]: Statements and questioning involving President Donald Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Admiral Brad Cooper before the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.

Claims & numbers

• Casualties: The presenter states that out of 264 pupils attending the school, 120 children and 26 teachers were killed in the strike [17:27–17:41].
• Strike timeline & ordnance: On 28 February 2026 at 11:22 a.m., an initial strike hit 120 meters away, followed 10 seconds later by a direct missile strike on the school building; three subsequent Tomahawk strikes hit the compound later that afternoon around 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., destroying a clinic and killing a medical worker [27:45–29:35].
• Weaponry & blast signature: The presenter and experts claim the strike created a crater approximately 5 meters in diameter after penetrating the roof and first floor, consistent with a precision Tomahawk cruise missile [28:40–28:50].
• Carrier location: Satellite data from the Copernicus Programme placed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and three escort warships in the Arabian Sea three days before and on the day of the attack, well within Tomahawk range of Minab [30:00–30:25].
• Operational tempo: Retired military officials note that over 1,000 targets were struck in the first 24 hours of Operation Epic Fury, delivering more strikes in five days than the first six months of the counter-ISIS campaign [36:45–37:50].
• Target database staleness: An intelligence whistleblower states that out of a couple hundred thousand potential targets in Iran, only about 1,000 were developed targets, which were supposed to be reviewed every three to five years, but DIA only updated 100 to 200 CENTCOM facilities annually [34:55–35:20].
• Staffing reductions: The narrator states that out of nearly 40 civilian harm assessment specialists in Wes Bryant’s unit, only seven remained after budget and policy cuts under the new administration [33:23–33:30].

Notable quotes

• Donald Trump [18:44]: “Based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran.”
• Pete Hegseth [20:02]: “There’s only one entity in this conflict between us and Iran that never targets civilians. We don’t target; Iran does.”
• Wes Bryant [35:50]: “Their imagery was old and their targeting information was old.”

Assessment
This is a comprehensive investigative documentary produced by Sky News in collaboration with Forensic Architecture, relying on verified field reporting, open-source intelligence, satellite records, and expert analysis. The program rigorously cross-references physical evidence and official transcripts against US administrative denials, building a detailed case that bureaucratic intelligence failures led to the strike.

Described by gemini-3.8-flash on 2026-10-12 from the video’s audio and frames.