United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that American forces would not deliberately target a school after Iranian state media reported that more than 160 people were killed in a strike on a girls' elementary school in Minab, southern Iran. The incident was described as the deadliest reported event since the start of joint United States and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Rubio said the Department of Defense would investigate if the strike was carried out by American forces, adding that deliberately targeting a school would not be consistent with United States policy. Military officials said they were reviewing reports of possible civilian harm. The United Nations under-secretary-general for peacebuilding noted that the reports would represent a tragic outcome if confirmed.

The strike has drawn condemnation from the United Nations cultural agency and education activist Malala Yousafzai, who emphasized that attacking schools or other civilian sites violates international humanitarian law. Israel's ambassador to the United Nations said there were conflicting accounts of responsibility, including claims that an Iranian military force may have been involved. The broader air war began with strikes on Tehran and has expanded amid continued retaliation, with United States President Donald Trump indicating the operation could continue for weeks.