Mahabad school airstrike: investigation reveals stories of 120 child victims
A Sky News investigation has identified 120 children killed in a strike on a school in Mahabad, Iran, telling the story of class 4A and the lack of US response.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
On 28 February, at the start of the Middle East war, a missile struck a school in Mahabad, Iran, killing at least 120 children. An investigation has pieced together the events of that day, identifying victims and reconstructing the school in three dimensions using videos, CCTV and satellite imagery.
The report focuses on the boys of class 4A. Last year, one student filmed interviews with his classmates, asking what would happen if they were not there. Sepehr Karimi said who would defend the borders. Amir Ali Bistani said who would love and make sacrifices for our mums. Hani said who would play in the national football team. All three were killed, along with five other boys from the same class.
On the day of the attack, Sepehr's father dropped him at school as usual. The boy turned back, raised his left hand and waved goodbye. Hours later, the missile hit the central assembly area directly outside class 4A. Teachers had held an emergency meeting after news of a strike on a residence of Supreme Leader Khamenei, and some parents had been called to collect their children, but the missile struck 20 minutes later.
The reconstruction shows the missile impact and the layout of the school. One survivor said Mohammed Taha was playing football until seconds before the strike, then ran inside and was hit. Taha's body was identified by DNA test over 30 days later, as his body had been ripped apart.
The US has not responded. The Pentagon said "nothing to provide due to ongoing investigation." The White House, CENTCOM and the Defense Intelligence Agency either referred to others or provided no response. The US Department of Defense, which has rebranded itself as the Department of War, has said an investigation is underway but has not acknowledged involvement.
The boys once asked what would happen if they were not there. Their parents still visit the cemetery almost every day. The families know the answer.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Sky News |
|---|---|
| A missile strike on a school killed at least 120 children. | |
| Mohammed Taha was playing football just before the strike. | |
| Sepehr's father identified his son by the socks he had given him that morning. | |
| Sky News identified 76 of the victims using videos and other evidence. | |
| The children's identities were confirmed through analysis of CCTV and satellite imagery. | |
| The compound next door was an IRGC missile brigade base, but analysis indicated it was likely administrative and had been walled off for more than ten years. | |
| The missile struck the central assembly area directly outside class 4A. | |
| The Pentagon cited an ongoing investigation as the reason for not providing information. | |
| US military and White House did not respond to questions about the strike. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This programme presented a condensed version of the investigation, focusing on the emotional story of one father and the immediate lack of US accountability. It highlighted the scale of the tragedy and the Pentagon's non-answer, but omitted the detailed reconstruction and identification process seen in the full report.
- “on the very first day of the war between the US and Iran a school in Manabh was struck killing at least 120 children”
- “Neither CENTCOM nor the White House provided any response”
This broadcast repeated the core investigation but gave more prominence to the forensic analysis and survivor testimony. It stressed the confirmation of identities through CCTV and satellite imagery, and included the detail that a survivor saw Taha playing football just before the missile hit, reinforcing the human tragedy.
- “We've contacted family members and survivors. We've analysed CCTV and satellite imagery and we've confirmed the identities of the children who were killed”
- “He said that in the final moments, Mohammed Taha was still playing football with his friends.”
- “Neither CENTCOM nor the White House provided any response”
This was the most detailed version, offering a full reconstruction of the school layout, the timeline of the attack, and the long identification process. It gave voice to Sepehr's father and the pain of identifying a son by his socks, and emphasised the US Department of Defense's refusal to provide any update despite an ongoing investigation.
- “The strike hit the central assembly area, directly outside Class 4A.”
- “I saw that the socks were exactly the same socks that Sepehr had been wearing, the same socks that I had given him with my own hands that morning.”
- “Good morning, nothing to provide due to ongoing investigation.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.