UN Panel Alleges US War Crimes in Iranian Airstrikes

• A UN human rights investigation has concluded there are reasonable grounds to believe the U.S. committed war crimes during early airstrikes in Iran.
• Attacks on a school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd resulted in at least 178 civilian deaths, including 120 children.
• The report cites a lack of civilian mitigation efforts by the Trump administration and a failure by the Pentagon to verify targets.

The Minab School Bombing

• On February 28, the Shajareh Tayyebeh school was struck by U.S. forces.
• The Pentagon utilized outdated targeting data for the site, which was clearly marked as a school.
• Investigators concluded that the U.S. acted with reckless disregard for civilian life, knowingly attacking a site despite a substantial risk of civilian harm.

The Lamerd Strike

• An attack on a residential and sports complex in Lamerd killed 22 civilians, including four students and a toddler.
• The U.S. military deployed Lockheed Martin PrSM precision missiles that scatter tungsten pellets over a wide area.
• UN experts determined the use of such weapons in a civilian-populated area constituted an indiscriminate attack, violating the legal principle of distinction.

U.S. Response and Policy Context

• The Pentagon has not released its internal investigation findings regarding the school attack.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly advocated for ignoring "rules of engagement" designed to protect civilians at the onset of the conflict.
• U.S. officials previously boasted about using PrSM missiles for the first time during these military operations.