US Launches Fifth Straight Night of Strikes on Iran as Minab School Bombing Faces Fresh Scrutiny
By Jahanzaib Saqib - SCN
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN — U.S. forces have launched a fifth consecutive night of military strikes against targets across Iran, marking another escalation in the ongoing conflict as fighting expands around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media reported explosions near Bandar Abbas and surrounding military sites, while U.S. officials said recent operations are aimed at degrading Iran's military capabilities and limiting threats to international shipping in the Gulf.
The renewed offensive comes as international attention returns to the Minab school bombing, which occurred on the first day of the war. Investigations by multiple media organizations, satellite imagery analysts and human rights groups have examined the strike that destroyed Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Hormozgan province, killing large numbers of civilians, many of them children.
According to independent investigations, the school was located near a former or adjacent military compound, but analysts concluded the educational facility itself had functioned separately for years before the attack. Preliminary findings from a U.S. military inquiry reportedly indicated outdated targeting information may have contributed to the strike, although final investigations have not been fully released.
The conflict has continued to widen in recent days. Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against U.S. regional partners, while Washington has warned that additional strikes remain possible unless Tehran changes course. Growing instability has also increased concerns over global energy supplies and commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict remain stalled as both sides continue military operations, raising fears that the war could broaden further across the Middle East.