A United Nations-mandated fact-finding mission says there are reasonable grounds to believe the United States committed war crimes in two February strikes on civilian sites in southern Iran, including a primary school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd.
The mission concluded that the attacks were indiscriminate and caused civilian deaths and damage to civilian infrastructure, while Washington disputed its findings and denied responsibility for the Lamerd strike.
On February 28, during the opening day of the US-Israeli assault on Iran, missiles struck Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab, near an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval facility.
Local authorities reported 156 deaths, including 120 children, while the UN investigators said the school was clearly identifiable and there was no indication it had been used for military purposes.
The mission found that the school was struck twice and concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe US forces carried out the attack, citing evidence including the identification of Tomahawk missiles.
US officials have acknowledged evidence connecting American forces to the Minab strike, although President Donald Trump has said the school was not purposefully attacked.
Later that day, a strike hit a sports complex and nearby residential area in Lamerd, killing at least 21 people according to figures cited by the BBC, while another local account put the toll at 22.
The mission attributed that attack to a US-made Precision Strike Missile, while the US military denied conducting a strike in Lamerd.
The investigators said both incidents could constitute the war crime of launching an indiscriminate attack, finding that the US failed to take required precautions in identifying civilian sites.
The White House rejected the mission's conclusions and accused Iran of committing war crimes during the conflict.
The same UN report also concluded that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their crackdown on mass anti-government protests in December 2025 and January 2026.
Investigators cited widespread killings, injuries, arrests, torture and restrictions on detainees, while noting that the crackdown's death toll could not be independently verified.
Iran has previously rejected allegations of systematic human rights violations and accused the US and Israel of fomenting the unrest.
The mission urged an end to US-Iran hostilities, reparations for victims and diplomatic efforts toward lasting peace.