- March 10, 2026
- 1:56 pm
- Middle East
On March 10, 2026, international media are discussing an unexpected change in statements by US President Donald Trump. Just a few days ago, he confidently asserted that the explosion in the Iranian city of Minab was the work of Tehran itself. However, after the appearance of a video recording with a Tomahawk cruise missile, the tone of the White House changed dramatically.
The incident occurred near the Shajare Tayebe girls’ elementary school in the city of Minab. According to local sources and international media, at least 168 people were killed in the strike, including dozens of children. The tragedy occurred in an area where Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities are also located.
How Donald Trump’s statements changed
From confident accusations to cautious wording
As recently as Saturday, while on board the presidential plane, Donald Trump confidently told reporters that Iran itself was behind the strike. According to him, the ‘signature of the attack’ pointed directly to Tehran’s actions.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth then supported this version and stated that strikes on civilian targets correspond to ‘methods previously used by Iran.’
However, already on Monday, March 9, during a press conference at the Trump National Doral golf club in Miami, the US president noticeably softened his position. Answering journalists’ questions, Trump stated that he currently has insufficient information.
According to him, final conclusions should only be made after an official report from US intelligence.
Video with a Tomahawk missile and new questions
What the investigation by media and analysts showed
The turning point was a video recording of the strike that appeared online and was analyzed by the Bellingcat research group. Later, its authenticity and geolocation were confirmed by journalists from The New York Times.
In the footage, experts identified a Tomahawk cruise missile. This is a high-precision long-range weapon used by the US Navy.
When journalists pointed out this video to Trump, the president put forward an unexpected version. He suggested that the missile could belong to a third party or even Iran itself.
Trump stated that the Tomahawk is a widely used weapon employed by many countries.
However, this assertion raises questions. Despite the US supplying such missiles to close allies — for example, the UK and Australia — Iran has never had access to these technologies.
Where the strike occurred and why it matters
Satellite images studied by journalists and analysts show that the Shajare Tayebe school is located near a military complex of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. More than ten years ago, the school’s territory was separated from the military base by a fence, but the geographical proximity of the sites remained.
Evidence gathered by The New York Times — satellite data, video, social media posts, and eyewitness accounts — indicates that the strike on the school occurred around the same time as the attack on the IRGC naval base.
Video analysis shows the moment a missile hits one of the complex’s buildings, described as a medical clinic. After the strike, plumes of smoke and debris erupt from the structure. When the camera turns towards the school, huge columns of dust and smoke are already rising over the area.
According to the timeline, the strike on the school occurred almost simultaneously with the attack on the base.
On the same day, February 28, US Central Command released a video of several Tomahawk missiles being launched from US Navy ships. These strikes were carried out on targets in the same region.
This context is what analysts and international journalists are focusing on.
In a material published by the editorial office of NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, it is noted that the proximity of civilian infrastructure to military facilities in Iran makes any operations in such areas extremely risky and complicates the investigation of such tragedies.
Israel’s position and Iran’s reaction
The Israel Defense Forces officially stated that Israeli forces did not conduct operations in the area at the time of the explosion.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in turn, sharply rejected Donald Trump’s statements. He called the accusations against Tehran ‘absurd’ and emphasized that Iran does not attack its own civilian facilities.
According to the Iranian side, responsibility for the tragedy lies with the participants in the operation against Iranian military facilities.
What remains unknown
Despite numerous videos and satellite images, the full picture of what happened has not yet been established. The absence of weapon fragments at the strike site and the inability for foreign journalists to access the incident area complicate an independent investigation.
Nevertheless, the incident has already become one of the most discussed episodes of the current conflict around Iran.
The sharp change in Donald Trump’s rhetoric after the appearance of video evidence shows how quickly political statements can clash with facts — especially in an era when every event is captured by cameras and satellites.