Unveiling a Missile Strike: New Video from Iran Sparks Global Attention
Recent footage released by Iranian state media has brought worldwide scrutiny, showcasing what seems to be a U.S. cruise missile striking a compound in Iran. This incident, which resulted in the deaths of around 175 students and staff at a girl’s school, raises questions about the international dynamics involved.
Shared by Mehr News, the seven-second clip depicts a missile impacting a building within a walled area, likely a health clinic once part of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval base. This footage surfaced shortly after the school was attacked, with smoke already visible in the location.
State reports estimate the casualties to be between 165 and 180, many of whom were students. Although the video quality makes it challenging to definitively identify the missile, experts like Jeffrey Lewis from Middlebury College suggest it resembles a Tomahawk cruise missile, a munition exclusive to the United States.
General Dan Caine, during a press briefing, confirmed that “The first shooters at sea were Tomahawks unleashed by the United States Navy.” Meanwhile, President Trump has held Iran accountable for the school bombing, emphasizing the alleged inaccuracy of Iranian munitions.
Despite these claims, Lewis noted inconsistencies between the missile in the footage and known Iranian missile designs. NPR managed to verify the video’s location through a housing development under construction across the street from the compound, with details matching known features of the site.
The Pentagon has yet to comment on the video, which was initially geolocated by Bellingcat. NPR had previously reported on satellite images that indicated a precision strike targeting multiple buildings in the compound, which historically served as an Iranian Revolutionary Guard base.
While satellite imagery highlights the separation of the school from the compound by a wall and the removal of an airstrip, the clinic’s establishment in 2025 by IRGC chief Hossein Salami, who was later killed, suggests ongoing ties to the Guard. Photos show Salami at the clinic’s inauguration.
Lewis speculated that the outdated targeting information could have led to the school and clinic being struck. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alongside Trump, stated that investigations are ongoing, but firmly attributed the targeting of civilians to Iran.
NPR’s RAD team contributed to this report.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
