‘Remember These Criminals’: Iran Names US Officers Who Ordered Tomahawk Attack At Minab School

As the war that began on February 28 moved into its second month, Iran publicly accused two US Navy officers of being responsible for a missile strike on a school in Minab that killed around 175 people.

Iran’s embassies in India, South Africa and Nigeria shared images of the officers, naming them as Leigh R Tate, commanding officer, and Jeffrey E York, executive officer of the USS Spruance. They alleged the pair authorised three Tomahawk missile launches that led to the attack on the Iran girls’ school.

In posts on X, the embassies described the officers as “criminals” and said the strike killed 168 children. Messages from South Africa and Nigeria also questioned how the officers could justify their actions and whether they had children of their own.

“Remember these two criminals. Leigh R. Tate, the commander, and Jeffrey E. York, the executive officer of the USS Spruance, who ordered the launch of Tomahawk missiles three times, killing 168 innocent children at a school in #Minab,” reads Iran In India’s post.

Iran calls strike ‘planned assault’

At a Geneva debate, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Girls’ School as a deliberate and phased operation carried out on the first day of the conflict. He said more than 175 students and teachers were killed.

Meanwhile, a US military review has pointed to a possible mistake. Preliminary findings, cited in a report, suggest outdated intelligence may have been used to identify the target.

Officials said the missile was meant for a nearby military facility that had once been part of the same site, but faulty mapping may have caused the school to be hit instead.

Probe continues amid blame game

US authorities said the inquiry is still ongoing and key questions remain, including why the intelligence was not properly checked. Washington has maintained it does not target civilian sites.

President Donald Trump suggested Iran itself could be responsible, claiming its weapons systems are often inaccurate.

In response, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei shared video footage of the strike, accusing the US of carrying out a war crime.

The Minab strike came as US and Israeli attacks on Iran triggered a wider regional conflict, with Tehran retaliating against Israel and targets across Gulf countries.