‘Our military always acts in good faith’: Trump denies US role in Minab school attack, WH defends him
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Our military always acts in good faith’: Trump denies US role in Minab school attack, WH defends him")
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 16, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
The White House defended President Trump’s denial of US involvement in a deadly attack on an Iranian school in Minab, asserting that the American military always acts in good faith.
The White House on Thursday (July 16) defended President Donald Trump's rejection of claims that the United States was responsible for a deadly attack on a school in the southern Iranian city of Minab, saying the president believes the US military does not intentionally target civilians.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump's position was based on his confidence that American forces operate in good faith during military operations. "The president feels that way because he knows that our military always acts in good faith," Leavitt told reporters when asked about Trump's denial of US involvement in the attack.
She also criticised Iran, accusing its government of being responsible for the deaths of women, children and other civilians within the country over many years. Leavitt's remarks came after Trump denied allegations that the United States was behind the deadly strike on the school in Minab, a city in Iran's southern Hormozgan province.
The comments add to the growing war of narratives between Washington and Tehran as tensions remain high following days of military exchanges and competing claims over responsibility for civilian casualties.
Moreover, talking about the ongoing talks with Iran, Leavitt said Tehran was seeking negotiations after suffering significant military setbacks. "Iran very much continues to talk to the United States of America and has expressed that they want to make a deal with us because they are suffering devastating blows" from the US military, she said.
Trending Stories
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
Leavitt said recent US strikes were carried out after Iran allegedly violated the Iran-US memorandum of understanding, which Washington says prohibits attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
She said President Donald Trump remained committed to protecting international shipping routes and would respond firmly to any such actions. "President Trump is not going to sit by and allow these active acts of terrorism to take place in the Strait without ensuring Iran pays consequences for that," Leavitt said.
