Karoline Leavitt Answers Question About Strike On Iranian Girls’ School | EUROtoday

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed again on studies that the preliminary strikes from Israeli and United States forces on Iran struck a women’ college, killing as much as 175 individuals, most of them schoolgirls between the ages of seven and 12 years previous.

“Not that we know of,” Leavitt responded when requested throughout Wednesday’s briefing if the Trump administration was conscious of the obvious strike, and appeared to recommend the studies have been “propaganda” from Iranian state media.

“The Department of War is investigating this matter,” Leavitt stated. “And I would just tell you very strongly the United States of America does not target civilians, unlike the rogue Iranian regime that targets civilians, that kills children, that has killed thousands of their own people in the past several weeks and uses propaganda quite effectively, and unfortunately, many people in this room have fallen for that propaganda.”

Iranian state media and Iranian well being officers reported the strike came about early Saturday morning in Minab, within the nation’s southern Hormozgan province. Journalists from worldwide information organizations haven’t been given entry to independently confirm the loss of life toll or the circumstances surrounding the strike. Neither the U.S. nor Israel has claimed duty for the assault.

However, video footage from the alleged incident has emerged, exhibiting black smoke rising from a broken constructing adorned with murals of crayons, youngsters and an apple. CBS News was in a position to geolocate the video to a constructing in Minab. Iranian state media has recognized that constructing as Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary college. Iran’s college week runs from Saturday to Thursday, and college students have been in the midst of their morning session when the strike occurred.

CBS News additionally reported the constructing is situated close to two websites managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesman for Iran’s well being ministry, stated in a put up on X that dozens killed on the college have been “young child martyrs.”

Mourners on Tuesday gathered in Minab for the funerals of the scholars and employees killed throughout Saturday’s strike. Hundreds of individuals packed the streets to pay their respects on the funerals, which have been broadcast over Iranian state TV.

When requested by BBC News throughout a press briefing on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the Pentagon was investigating the incident.

“All I can say is that we’re investigating, and that we of course never target civilian targets,” Hegseth stated.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Monday the U.S. wouldn’t deliberately goal a faculty.

“The United States would not deliberately target a school. Our objectives are missiles, both the ability to manufacture them and the ability to launch them,” he advised reporters.

Iranian state media reported on Wednesday the loss of life toll within the nation has risen to over 1,000, with 6,000 others wounded. A complete of six U.S. service members have been killed up to now, in response to U.S. Central Command.