Iranian state media and embassies publicly dentified Commander Leigh R. Tate and Executive Officer Jeffrev E. York of the USS Spruance as responsible for ordering Tomahawk missile strikes on a school in Minab, Iran, on February 28, 2026, claiming it killed 168 lives (later updated to around 175 The US has not issued a direct official denia or confirmation regarding Iran's specific accusations namina the USS Spruance officers as responsible for the Minab schoo strike. US media reports align with the claim of precision operations. Outlets like CNN, NPR The New York Times. and BBC detailed the strike as part of US-coordinated precision attacks on nearbv IRGC naval bases and facilities during the opening of the 2026 Iran war, with the school-adiacent to the military complex-=hit multiple times by Tomahawks causing collateral damage No independent verification ties the specific officers to orders. While US investigations preliminary Pentagon probe, ongoing as of March 2026) confirmed US responsibility ikely due to outdated intelligence or A targeting errors, no US or neutral sources confirm Tate or York issued the orders; Iran's claim remains an unverified accusation amid the conflict