Key Points: Photographs released by Iran’s state broadcaster show missile fragments multiple analysts say are consistent with U.S. Tomahawk cruise-missile components. The debris was photographed at the Shajareh Tayyiba school site in Minab, where Iranian officials report heavy child and teacher casualties. Markings such as "Made in USA," Globe Motors and Ball Aerospace appear on parts, and experts identified actuator and engine-like components. Though compelling, the images alone do not conclusively establish the origin of the fragments; U.S. and independent investigations are ongoing.
Photos Appear To Show U.S. Tomahawk Missile Parts At Site Of Deadly Iran School Strike
Missile that hit the IRGC base adjacent to the school in Minab - Mehr News Agency
Photographs released by Iran’s state broadcaster show missile fragments that multiple independent analysts say are consistent with components from a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile recovered after strikes near an elementary school in southern Iran on February 28.
A fragment marked “SDL ANTENNA,” made by Ball Aerospace and apparently supplied to the US military in 2014, was among the debris. - IRIB/Telegram
Evidence and Expert Analysis
IRIB shared four images on Telegram showing debris laid out on a table in front of the ruined Shajareh Tayyiba school in Minab, where Iranian authorities report at least 168 children and 14 teachers were killed. CNN and several weapons experts reviewed the photos and concluded the parts are consistent with Tomahawk components, though the images alone cannot conclusively prove the fragments’ provenance.
This fragment, identified by CNN as an actuator motor used to steer a Tomahawk missile, is marked with “Made in USA” and the name of Ohio-based munitions manufacturer Globe Motors. - IRIB/Telegram
Markings and Manufacturer Links
One piece in the photos is stamped "Made in USA" and bears the name Globe Motors, an Ohio-based firm that has held U.S. Defense Department contracts to produce missile components. Another fragment is marked "SDL ANTENNA"—short for satellite data link antenna—associated with communications units used on newer Tomahawk variants. A separate part shows the imprint of Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., a Colorado company acquired by BAE Systems in 2024.
CNN identified remnants of a US-made Tomahawk cruise missile among the fragments, including a satellite antenna and an actuator motor. - IRIB/Telegram
Open-Source Matches
The imagery matches archived photos of Tomahawk fragments in the Open Source Munitions Portal, including a Globe Motors–branded component recovered from a previous strike in Yemen. Experts who reviewed the new images identified parts consistent with an actuator motor (used to move missile fins) and a piece resembling a jet engine component.
Munition fragments are displayed on a table near the shell of the Shajareh Tayyiba elementary school in Minab, southern Iran, where state media say at least 168 children and 14 teachers were killed in a strike on February 28. - IRIB/Telegram
Video, Geolocation and Ongoing Investigations
Separate video footage posted by Iranian outlets appears to show a BGM-109/UGM-109 Tomahawk impacting a building at an IRGC naval base adjacent to the school; CNN’s geolocation and multimedia analyses indicate at least one Tomahawk struck the base. The U.S. Defense Department has said it is investigating and the White House announced the Pentagon would release its findings.
Official Responses and Caveats
U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, have disputed some public interpretations of the event—at times blaming Iran and at other times acknowledging an ongoing investigation. Multiple munitions experts told CNN that Iran does not possess Tomahawk missiles, which are produced by Raytheon and operated by the U.S. and a limited set of allied nations.
Important caveat: While markings and component shapes add to the body of evidence linking the debris to Tomahawk-class cruise missiles, the photographs alone cannot definitively determine when or where the parts were recovered. Independent and official investigations will be required to establish clear responsibility and sequence of events.
As investigators review multimedia evidence, witness accounts and material forensics, the incident has prompted international concern over civilian harm and renewed scrutiny of targeting practices in the area.
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