Fact Check: Did US strikes directly hit Ahvaz's Shahid Baqaei children's cancer hospital?

WASHINGTON, DC: As the US launched a second wave of strikes on Iranian targets within 24 hours, a viral social media post claimed that American forces bombed Ahvaz's Shahid Baqaei Children's Hospital on July 15. The allegation quickly spread online, raising concerns that the strikes had directly hit a children's medical facility. But did the US actually target the hospital?

Claim: US bombed Iran's Ahvaz Children's Hospital

The unverified rumor originated from an X post by MintPress News, which claimed that a US missile had bombed Iran's Ahvaz Children's Hospital. The post also warned of "fears of a civilian massacre."

The claim emerged amid the ongoing 2026 US strikes on Iranian targets in Ahvaz and nearby areas. Earlier incidents near Abuzar Children's Hospital and other medical facilities had already forced hospitals to transfer patients.

As an independent outlet that frequently criticizes US foreign policy, MintPress News highlighted the potential risks to civilians as military operations continued near populated areas. Ahvaz, a major city in Iran's oil-rich Khuzestan province near the Iraqi border, has been among the locations affected by the conflict.

The rumor surfaced shortly after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced a second wave of strikes targeting Iranian military capabilities that it said threatened vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. "At 3 p.m. ET, U.S. forces launched operations for a second wave of strikes today against Iran," CENTCOM wrote on X, adding that the military was "holding Iran accountable" under President Donald Trump's direction.

Fact Check: False, the claim is misleading

The claim that a US missile bombed Iran's Ahvaz Children's Hospital is misleading. The available evidence does not show that US forces directly hit the hospital.

The MintPress News post goes beyond the known facts by claiming that the US "bombed Ahvaz Children's Hospital." Reports say nearby military strikes caused shockwaves and flying debris that affected the hospital. However, there is no credible evidence that the hospital itself was directly hit or intentionally targeted by US forces.

Iranian officials and local media reported that explosions occurred near Ahvaz's Shahid Baqaei Children's Cancer Hospital.

The blasts shattered windows and forced the temporary evacuation of patients. However, these reports do not say that the hospital was the intended target or that a missile struck the building.

At the same time, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it targeted Iranian military sites, including command centers, air defense systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal radar sites linked to threats in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM did not list any hospital or medical facility among its targets.

Based on the available evidence, the hospital was affected by nearby strikes, but there is no proof that the US military directly bombed it.