UN mission finds US airstrikes in Iran may constitute war crimes

A UN-backed investigation has concluded there are “reasonable grounds to believe” the United States committed war crimes during two airstrikes on Iranian soil in February 2026, killing at least 178 civilians in attacks that hit a primary school and a residential neighborhood.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran published its findings on September 17, describing the strikes as indiscriminate under international humanitarian law. The two attacks, carried out on February 28, coincided with the opening phase of the US-Israel military campaign against Iran.

What the strikes hit

The first strike targeted the city of Minab, where Tomahawk missiles struck a primary school. Between 156 and 170 people died, according to the mission’s assessment. Of those, an estimated 120 to 123 were children between the ages of 6 and 13.

The school displayed what investigators described as clear civilian indicators: murals, playgrounds, the kind of features that make a building obviously non-military from aerial surveillance.

The second attack hit a sports complex and surrounding residential area in Lamerd, killing 22 civilians. That strike employed Precision Strike Missiles, which dispersed approximately 180,000 tungsten pellets across the impact zone.

The mission built its case using satellite imagery, witness testimony, and open-source analysis. Investigators classified both attacks as indiscriminate, citing the military’s failure to verify whether civilians were present at either location before launching ordnance.

Outdated intelligence and no cooperation

One of the more damning details in the report centers on the intelligence underpinning the Minab strike. US military assessments reportedly suggest the attack may have relied on outdated intelligence, meaning the targeting data used to justify the strike was potentially stale by the time missiles were in the air. The Pentagon has not confirmed this explanation.

US officials declined to cooperate with the fact-finding mission and have refuted its conclusions, particularly regarding the military’s role in the incidents. The investigators appear to have compensated by leaning heavily on physical evidence and independent verification methods.

The broader report: Iran’s own record

The fact-finding mission did not limit its scrutiny to American military operations. The same report documented severe human rights violations committed by Iranian authorities during a wave of protests that erupted in late 2025.

Investigators found evidence of unlawful killings and torture carried out by security forces during the crackdowns. The Iranian government’s official death toll from the protest suppression stands at 3,038, but the mission estimated the true figure likely exceeds that number. The report characterized the government’s actions as potential crimes against humanity.

The fact-finding mission was originally established in 2022 to investigate human rights abuses in Iran, initially focused on the country’s internal repression. The February 2026 airstrikes expanded the scope considerably, pulling American military conduct into the same investigative framework.

What comes next

The report’s conclusions are set for formal discussion at the UN Human Rights Council. These proceedings rarely produce immediate legal consequences, but they establish an evidentiary record that can be referenced by international courts, national prosecutors, and future diplomatic negotiations.

The Pentagon’s silence on the outdated intelligence explanation is notable. Acknowledging it would confirm a catastrophic failure in the targeting pipeline. Denying it would suggest the strike was carried out with knowledge of what occupied the building.