Washington DC - President Donald Trump recently claimed without providing evidence that Iran, not the US, was behind a recent missile strike that hit a school, killing a staggering number of civilians.

On Saturday, while flying aboard Air Force One, the president was asked if the US was involved in a strike conducted on February 28, which struck a girls' elementary school in Southern Iran.

Iranian health officials say that the strike killed at least 175 people at the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school, many of whom were children.

"No, in my opinion, based on what I've seen, that was done by Iran," Trump responded.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who was standing nearby, stepped in to say the claims of Iran being behind the attacks were under investigation, but insisted the country is "the only side that targets civilians."

Trump interjected to restate, "It was done by Iran."

The president's claims contradict analysis from experts, however.

Evidence gathered by The New York Times – which included satellite imagery, social media posts, and verified videos – appears to indicate the school was struck by US missiles targeting an adjacent naval base operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

One former State Department official argued, "Given the US' intelligence capabilities, they should have known that a school was in the vicinity."

Prior to Trump's claims, his administration had neither confirmed nor denied US involvement.

On Wednesday, when asked if the US was behind the strike, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt cryptically responded, "Not that we know of."