Day 12 of the war (evening): US acknowledged the strike on a school with 175 children, tankers in flames, IEA to release record oil reserves

The twelfth day of the war between the US, Israel, and Iran brought a series of dramatic events — from the American admission of responsibility for bombing an Iranian school, through attacks on merchant ships near Hormuz, to a historic release of oil reserves.

TRAGIC ERROR: US ACKNOWLEDGED THE STRIKE ON A SCHOOL IN MINAB

The US military admitted on Tuesday that it is "likely responsible" for a missile strike on a girls' school in the city of Minab in Hormozgan province in southern Iran. The strike by a Tomahawk cruise missile on the first day of the war, February 28, killed as many as 175 people, mostly female students. NPR ↗

The investigative group Bellingcat released verified video capturing an American Tomahawk missile hitting a Revolutionary Guards facility in close proximity to the school, causing an explosion with catastrophic consequences. President Trump refused to accept responsibility and shifted the blame onto military commanders. The Pentagon described the incident as a "tragic targeting error." NBC News ↗

ATTACKS ON SHIPS NEAR HORMUZ CONTINUE

During the course of Tuesday, at least three commercial vessels were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz. The Thai bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was hit and caught fire off the coast of Oman. The Japanese container ship One Majesty suffered stern damage 52 nautical miles from the strait, and the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel Star Gwyneth was struck in the hull 50 miles northwest of Dubai. NPR ↗

Separately, two oil tankers were struck in Iraqi territorial waters by Iranian boats loaded with explosives. One crew member died, and 38 sailors were rescued. Two drones landed near Dubai International Airport, injuring four people. NBC News ↗

IRGC: "NOT A LITER OF OIL THROUGH HORMUZ"

Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) declared on Tuesday that they will not allow "even a liter of oil" to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as long as attacks on Iran continue. An IRGC spokesperson also warned that "oil at 200 dollars a barrel" should be expected. Trump responded by claiming that the US had destroyed a total of 28 Iranian mine-laying vessels and described the Iranian navy as "combat ineffective." Al Jazeera ↗

IEA TO RELEASE A RECORD 400 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL

The International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that its 32 member countries unanimously agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves over approximately 120 days. The United States alone will release 172 million barrels. This is the largest coordinated release in IEA history. CNN ↗

Despite this measure, the price of Brent crude exceeded 100 dollars a barrel, and the American benchmark reached nearly 95 dollars. Oil briefly fell after the IEA announcement but quickly resumed rising due to ongoing supply chain disruptions.

IRAN'S FIRST MAJOR CYBERATTACK ON THE US

Iran carried out its first major cyberattack on an American company — the target was Stryker, a manufacturer of medical technology. The FBI also warned of the threat of Iranian attacks on the US West Coast and noted that Iran "will likely activate sleeper cells in the West." A US government report warns that cyber warfare is becoming an increasingly important part of the conflict. NPR ↗

LEBANON: DRAMATIC RISE IN CASUALTIES

The death toll in Lebanon rose dramatically to 634, an increase of nearly 150 over the past two days. More than 816,000 people have been displaced. On Tuesday, the Israeli military struck ten alleged Hezbollah structures in southern Beirut within thirty minutes. Hezbollah responded with a joint operation with Iran, targeting Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and American bases in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Al Jazeera ↗

ATTACKS ON GULF COUNTRIES CONTINUE

The United Arab Emirates has intercepted 283 missiles and 1,514 drones since the start of the war. Despite this, they report 6 dead and 131 injured, with 9 drones having landed on their territory. In the Omani port of Salalah, drones struck fuel tanks. Bahrain activated civil defense following attacks on fuel facilities. Qatar called for de-escalation and urged both Iran and the US to return to the negotiating table. Al Jazeera ↗

TRUMP: "WE COULD FINISH THEM OFF BY THE AFTERNOON"

President Trump declared on Tuesday that Iran "has lost both its navy and its air force" and that the US "could do a lot more — we could finish them off by the afternoon." He also confirmed that the US will use oil reserves to lower gasoline prices for American consumers. NBC News ↗

Both Iran and Israel rejected Trump's statement that the war would end soon. An advisor to the new Ayatollah Khamenei called Trump "Satan" and "the stupidest American president" and declared that "Israel will be destroyed." The UN Security Council adopted a resolution, backed by 135 countries, calling on Iran to halt attacks in the Persian Gulf. NBC News ↗

TALLY: COSTS AND CASUALTIES AFTER 12 DAYS

The Pentagon estimated the cost of the first six days of Operation Epic Fury at 11.3 billion dollars. The total cost of the 12-day campaign likely exceeds 18 billion dollars. More than 43,000 American citizens have been evacuated from the Middle East, but the State Department has begun limiting charter flights due to declining demand. NBC News ↗

The total number of casualties after 12 days of war across 12 affected countries has exceeded 2,200 dead and 16,000 injured. In Iran, at least 1,500 people have died, in Lebanon 634, and in Israel 13. Eight American soldiers have lost their lives and 140 have been wounded. Iran has also officially withdrawn from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA. Seven Iranian female footballers have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia.