In The News A deadly strike on a girls primary school in Iran - who is to blame?
Mar 11, 2026
Malachy Browne, Head of Visual Investigations at The New York Times, explains how his team used satellite imagery, video and open-source sleuthing to reconstruct a deadly strike on a girls' primary school in Iran. He discusses matching footage to imagery, plume and impact analysis, signs pointing to US munitions, and the challenges of disinformation and AI-altered media.
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School Beside Naval Base Was Struck During Precision Raid
- The school in Minab sat adjacent to an IRGC naval base and was hit during a wave of precision strikes on the compound.
- Malachy Browne matched video and satellite imagery using roof shapes, road tiles, tree positions and painted walls to confirm the building was a school beside the base.
Motorist Video Helped Pinpoint Targeted Strikes
- A motorist's verified video filmed smoke plumes from inside the naval base, helping align camera position and confirm strikes inside the compound.
- Browne used that clip to argue the strikes were targeted at specific buildings rather than indiscriminate bombardment.
Satellite Evidence Shows Precision Strikes Hit Close To School
- High-resolution satellite images showed several neat circular holes in roofs of targeted base buildings consistent with precision strikes.
- The school was about 80 meters from the nearest target while the used munitions have max errors of 3 to 30 meters, implying the school was directly struck by guided weapons.