A Republican senator has apologised for the bombing of a girls’ primary school in southern Iran, saying he thought the US had unintentionally hit the building.
John Kennedy, a conservative legislator from Louisiana, has told US media outlets that the bombing Iran says killed scores of people was presumably conducted by US forces.
“We’re investigating but I’m not going to hide behind that,” Mr Kennedy told CNN. “I think it was a terrible, terrible mistake.”
According to unverified reports from Iranian authorities, the strike in Minab, southern Iran, on February 28 killed at least 168 people, many of them schoolgirls.
“The investigation may prove me wrong. I hope so,” Mr Kennedy said. “The kids are still dead, but I think it was a horrible, horrible mistake and I wish it hadn’t happened.
“I’m sorry it happened. I can assure you it wasn’t intentional. That’s the sort of thing Russia does; we don’t do that.”
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he has not seen anything to confirm American forces were responsible and suggested another country was to blame. Several reports have said investigators believe the US was behind the missile strike but a final determination has not been made.
The strike appears to have been conducted by a Tomahawk, and the only other countries to posses the powerful cruise missiles are not involved in the current war.
Citing US officials, The New York Times on Wednesday reported an investigation has determined the US was responsible. Mr Trump was asked if he took responsibility for the strike, as commander in chief the military. “I don't know about that,” he said.
The newspaper said the strike on the Shajarah Tayyebeh school building was the result of a targeting mistake, as it was adjacent to an Iranian military base.
US Central Command targeted the building using old data from the Defence Intelligence Agency, people briefed on the investigation told The New York Times.
The US started bombing Iran on February 28 after Israel told Washington it was going to strike a compound in which the country's leadership had gathered.
The Trump administration has repeatedly said the US military has severely dented Iran's navy, air force and missile launching capabilities, but Iran is continuing to attack countries across the Gulf.
Centcom on Wednesday warned Iranians to stay away from any port being used by naval forces.
“The Iranian regime is using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations that threaten international shipping,” a Centcom statement read. “Civilian ports used for military purposes lose protected status and become legitimate military targets under international law.”
Iranian dockworkers, administrative personnel, and commercial vessel crews should avoid Iranian naval vessels and military equipment, the statement added.
