A newly surfaced video shows an explosion near an elementary school in western Iran during the first day of U.S.-Israeli strikes on the country. The footage documents a second known blast near a school on Feb. 28, the opening day of the conflict.
The video, verified by The New York Times, comes from security cameras a Imam Reza Elementary School for boys in the city of Abyek, in Iran’s Qazvin Province west of Tehran.
It shows students outside during recess shortly before the explosion.
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Security footage captures blast near school
The footage shows about 40 boys on the playground during the morning break. Some stand near a soccer goal while others gather in small groups.
Moments later, an explosion erupts on a nearby hillside where a communications tower stands. Windows at the school shatter, and debris appears to strike the playground as students scatter.
Iranian state media later identified one child in the video as Mahyar Zanganeh, who they said died after being hit by debris.
The video circulated publicly days later after it was shared online by the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Unions, one of the country’s largest teachers’ organizations. The New York Times said it verified the footage using satellite imagery and geolocation analysis.
Tower near school identified as apparent target
Satellite images reviewed by the Times show the communications tower seen in the footage was destroyed in the blast. The structure stood less than 400 feet from the school playground.
Before-and-after satellite images show the tower reduced to rubble.
The U.S. military has not commented on the explosion near the boys’ school. Israeli officials have also not publicly addressed the incident.
Second explosion near school that day
The Abyek blast is one of two known explosions near schools during the first day of strikes.
As Straight Arrow News reported, the other occurred in the southern Iranian city of Minab, where a strike hit near a girls’ school. Iranian officials say 175 people were killed, most of them children.
Video verified by the Times shows a Tomahawk cruise missile striking an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval base beside that school. The U.S. military is the only force involved in the conflict known to operate Tomahawk missiles.
Neither the United States nor Israel has confirmed responsibility for that strike, but President Donald Trump told reporters Monday that the U.S. is still investigating.
“I think it’s something that I was told is under investigation,” he said. “But Tomahawks are used by others, as you know. Numerous other nations have Tomahawks. They buy them from us. But I will certainly, whatever the report shows, I’m willing to live with that report.”
