A devastating airstrike on a girls' elementary school in southern Iran has left more than 100 children dead, according local officials and state media. The incident occurred on Saturday morning, February 28, during a massive joint military offensive launched by the United States and Israel across the Islamic Republic.
The strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' school in Minab, a city in the Hormozgan province near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Because Saturday is the first day of the school and work week in Iran, the building was at peak capacity when the missiles struck.
The toll of the attack
While initial reports varied, the latest figures from the Iranian Red Crescent and local prosecutors paint a grim picture:
- Casualties: Reports indicate at least 148 people were killed in the Minab strike alone, with the majority being primary-age students.
- Injuries: Nearly 100 others were wounded, many critically, as rescue workers spent the weekend digging through the rubble of collapsed classrooms.
- Visual Evidence: Verified footage from the scene showed parents frantically searching through debris, while images of blood-stained textbooks and rows of small body bags have ignited a firestorm of grief and anger on social media.
Context: Operation “Epic Fury”
The strike was part of a broader campaign codenamed Operation Epic Fury by the U.S. and Operation Roaring Lion by Israel.
- The Objectives: U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the mission aimed to dismantle Iran's nuclear infrastructure and military leadership.
- The Scope: Attacks were reported in at least nine major cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, and Tabriz.
- Targeting Disputes: While Western officials emphasised that the strikes were intended for military and “regime-related” targets, the strike in Minab — which sits near a Revolutionary Guard barracks — has raised questions about intelligence failures or the use imprecise munitions in civilian areas.
International and local reaction
The strike on the school has become a focal point of international condemnation.
“The bombing of the school is the most bitter news of this conflict. God knows how many more children's bodies will be pulled from under the rubble,” stated Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesperson for Iran's health ministry.
Global response:
- The United Nations: The UN Secretary-General called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, warning that the targeting of educational facilities is a “blatant violation of international law.”
- Human Rights Groups: Organisations such as Save the Children and Amnesty International have called for an independent investigation into the Minab strike, labeling the loss of young lives a “catastrophic failure of civilian protection.”
- Iran Retaliation: In the hours following the attack, Iran launched a massive wave of retaliatory strikes — codenamed Truthful Promise 4 — targeting U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE, as well as sites within Israel.
The situation remains highly volatile as both sides continue to exchange fire, leaving the fate of the region — and its civilian population — hanging in the balance.