UN mission faults both U.S., Iran for deadly attacks before and during war GENEVA >> A UN fact-finding mission on Iran said today it had reasonable grounds to believe the United States was behind two military strikes on a school and sports facility in Iran in February, and that these constituted war crimes. It also found that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their deadly crackdown on anti-government protests. The findings in a new report by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, examined the U.S. âs conduct during the Iran war that began in February and the Iranian governmentâs response to nationwide unrest that begun in late December. The Iranian and U.S. permanent missions in Geneva did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. U.S. officials have previously said military operations are conducted in accordance with the law of armed conflict, while Iran has consistently rejected allegations of systematic rights violations. The UN experts said they found reasonable grounds to believe U.S. forces were responsible for an attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in the city of Minab, where more than 150 people were killed, including around 120 schoolchildren, according to Iranian officials. Don't miss out on what's happening! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE! The attack constituted an indiscriminate attack causing civilian deaths and damage to civilian infrastructure, amounting to a war crime under international law, the mission concluded. According to the report, the U.S. failure to update information in relation to the school, which was adjacent to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval complex, in its targeting databases and to confirm the building was a military objective amounted to more than mere negligence. âRather, the U.S. directed the strikes at the building of the school while being aware of a substantial risk of striking a civilian object and acting recklessly as regards the possibility that this would happen.â In June , President Donald Trump said that ânobodyâ purposefully attacked a girlsâ school in Iran in February, citing an investigation into the incident. Reuters first reported that an initial internal U.S. military investigation showed U.S. forces were likely responsible for the fatal strike in Minab in southern Iran. The Pentagon has since elevated the probe but it has not published any preliminary findings. UN experts said the school was a clearly identifiable civilian object and found no evidence that it was being used for military purposes. The experts reached a similar conclusion over a strike on a sports center in Lamerd. The report said the attack damaged nearby residential buildings and a school and killed and injured 22 civilians. It concluded that the strike was indiscriminate and therefore constituted a war crime. U.S. Central Command said in a statement in March that U.S. forces did not launch any strikes into the city of Lamerd on that day. The UN mission probe found that the Iranian authorities carried out a widespread and systematic attack against civilians during protests that erupted in late December last year, involving unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and severe restrictions on freedom of expression. Rights groups say bystanders were among those killed during the biggest crackdown since Shiâite Muslim clerics took power in the 1979 revolution. Tehran blamed âterrorists and riotersâ backed by exiled opponents and foreign foes the U.S. and Israel. The probe said it could not independently verify the death toll, but that it believed the number of dead and injured was likely far higher than official figures, which say 3,038 people were killed, and 25,000 people injured. The governmentâs response to the protests â including violence and killings, cutting off the internet and use of the death penalty, marked a significant escalation from previous patterns of suppressing dissent, the report said.
UN mission faults both U.S., Iran for deadly attacks before and during war GENEVA >> A UN fact-finding mission on Iran said today it had reasonable grounds to believe the United States was behind two military strikes on a school and sports facility in Iran in February, and that tâŠ
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Pakistanâs Defence Minister stated that the country is prepared to activate the Mecca defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey amid intensifying Houthi attacks on the kingdom. While Islamabad emphasized its commitment to protecting Saudi Arabia and its holy cities, Houthi officials disputed claims of targeting Mecca, asserting that their operations are limited to Saudi oil facilities and military bases.
School Bombing, Civilian Killings: UN Probe Finds Grounds To Believe US Committed 'War Crimes' In Iran The fact-finding mission has also accused Iranian authorities of carrying out crimes against humanity against their own people Got Question about the News?
In a major report set for submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, an independent UN fact-finding mission declared it has âreasonable grounds to believe" American forces were responsible for two February 2026 military strikes in Iran that constituted war crimes.
The findings deliver a severe indictment of US operations during the escalation of hostilities, while simultaneously documenting that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during a deadly internal crackdown on domestic anti-government protests.
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Washington Probes Satellite Image Link To Deadly Jordan Strike - UN Endorses India's Role as Diplomatic Bridge-Builder in Iran Conflict | U.S.-Iran War | News18 The most critical finding focuses on a precision strike on February 28, 2026, targeting the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab, Hormozgan province.
According to Iranian officials, the strike killed more than 150 people, including roughly 120 schoolchildren. - Failure of Due Diligence: The UN panel established that the school was a clearly identifiable civilian facility with no evidence of military usage.
Although American intelligence suspected a senior Iranian commander was nearby, forces failed to update targeting databases or verify information before launching a Tomahawk missile. - Reckless Execution: Investigators concluded the strike went beyond negligence, stating the US acted recklessly while fully aware of the substantial risk to civilian life, rendering it an indiscriminate attack and a war crime.
- Sports Facility Attack: A second strike on a sports facility in Lamerd, which killed or injured 22 civilians and damaged neighbouring homes, was similarly categorised as an indiscriminate war crime. Simultaneous Findings Against Tehran The investigation concurrently turned its focus to Tehranâs domestic conduct during nationwide economic protests that erupted in late December 2025.
The UN experts determined that Iranian security forces carried out a âwidespread and systematic attack" against civilians. Documenting unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary detentions, and enforced disappearances, the mission classified the stateâs response as crimes against humanity.
While Iranian state sources reported 3,038 deaths and 25,000 injuries, UN investigators noted the true casualties are likely considerably higher. Diplomatic Fallout and Official Responses Neither the US nor Iranian permanent missions in Geneva issued immediate public responses following the release.
Washington has previously asserted that its operations strictly adhere to the law of armed conflict, though the Pentagonâs internal review into the Minab attack remains unpublished. Meanwhile, Tehran continues to attribute civil casualties to foreign-backed unrest while denying systematic rights abuses.
Quick Answers An independent UN fact-finding mission declared there are reasonable grounds to believe American forces committed war crimes during two February 2026 military strikes in Iran. The probe found that the US acted recklessly and launched an indiscriminate attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab, despite it being a clearly identifiable civilian facility.
Additionally, a second US strike on a sports facility in Lamerd was categorized as an indiscriminate war crime.
Analyst Mark Almond argues that Houthi drone strikes on Saudi Arabiaâs East-West pipeline and Red Sea shipping routes pose a significant threat to global supply chains. While the Houthis state they are targeting only Saudi forces and their proxies, the article notes that confidence in this limitation is currently low.
The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission has called for an immediate ceasefire after reported U.S. airstrikes in Hormozgan province resulted in civilian casualties, a situation the body states raises serious questions regarding the protection of civilians, though no war crimes have been officially determined.
According to reports, strikes on a home in Kuhestak and a residence in Qeshm allegedly killed at least six people and injured others, with the UN noting these areas are home to historically marginalized Baloch and Sunni communities.