Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to dodge questions related to the strikes carried out at a school in Minab, Iran, on February 28. The attack reportedly killed more than 160 children, resulting in outrage across Iran and on social media.
Considering the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, many suspect America’s hand in the deadly attack.
During a recent episode of 60 Minutes, CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett pressed Hegseth on a key question — Did America order a missile strike on a school in Iran with innocent children?
Although Hegseth was repeatedly asked about America’s involvement in the school strikes, he refused to answer it directly. The conversation with regard to the incident started when Garrett asked Hegseth about the party responsible for the attack and wanted to know if there was an investigation regarding the same.
🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷 Sec of War Hegseth had 3 chances to say America didn’t hit the school in Minab. He didn’t take any of them.
“We’re still investigating” is not a denial. And the host knew it.
160 children. Still investigating.pic.twitter.com/1k1jDrYASm https://t.co/O2jwQXG8jv
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 9, 2026
Garrett asked Hegseth point-blank if the U.S. had made any “conclusions” about its involvement in the strike. When the Washington correspondent brought up Hegseth’s recent comments about an active investigation regarding the matter, the secretary of war simply said, “Well, we’re still investigating, and that’s where I’ll leave it today.”
However, Hegseth may have indirectly addressed the question as he claimed that the U.S. never targets civilians. Garrett then brought up a report which claimed that the U.S. was “likely involved” in the strike, and questioned the accuracy of it.
Hegseth shook his head in refusal and repeated his claims of an ongoing investigation. Garrett highlighted the issue surrounding the school strikes a third time and questioned the Trump administration’s honesty, claiming that many were left yearning for the truth in the wake of such a terrible incident.
Garrett asked, if the U.S. were truly involved, would they be honest and inform the public?
US President Trump has denied that the US carried out a strike on a girls’ school in Iran’s Minab that killed 165 people. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for the strike to be investigated as a possible war crime.
Al Jazeera’s Hamza Mohamed reports. pic.twitter.com/UlbaxCaPPo
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 8, 2026
Once again, Hegseth chose not to give a clear answer. Instead, he reiterated that the matter was still under investigation and claimed that it was the only answer he was “prepared” to give. After the interview, many people took to social media to express their views regarding Hegseth’s dodgy answers.
While many called him out for allegedly being in denial, some said that he refused to give a straight answer.
A user on X pointed out that Hegseth had three chances to talk about the Minab strike but didn’t take a single one of them. The post received a huge response as many other users shared their thoughts on Hegseth’s answers.
One user wrote, “I am totally disgusted by this happening and actually heartbroken that our own govt. would do something like this.” Another user called the Minab strike a “heart shattering war crime.”
Quoting Hegseth, a user said, “‘Still investigating’ is blood-soaked cowardice. Those children’s screams demand truth, not excuses.”
When children and schools are at the center of such allegations, anything less than a credible independent investigation is unacceptable. Civilian lives cannot become expendable in war.
— Athar| Geopolitics (@AtharAffairs) March 8, 2026
One individual wrote, “As a U.S. citizen, you must reckon with the responsibility for the lives of 160 innocent girls.” Another asked, “Why would they want to kill innocent children?”
On February 28, an airstrike hit Shajareh, Tayyebeh — an elementary school for girls in Iran. Satellite imagery and videos of the strikes were verified by publications like the New York Times.
Reporter: Did the US bomb an elementary school and kill 175 people?
Trump: Based on what I’ve seen, it was done by Iran.
Reporter: Is that true Mr. Hegseth?
Hegseth: We’re investigating.
Trump: They are very inaccurate with their munitions. It was done by Iran. pic.twitter.com/L3Y1zuV27E
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 7, 2026
The media outlet noted the strike’s timing and mentioned that it lined up with planned strikes on a nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval base. The base sits close to the Strait of Hormuz and some military analysts believe that it might be a case of a strike target gone horribly wrong.
While Hegseth deflected the issue, President Donald Trump was rather direct in his answer. While speaking to reporters, the president blamed Iran for the attack in Minab. He said, “Based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran.”
