MINAB, Iran — At least 85 people, most of them young schoolgirls, were killed after an airstrike struck an elementary school in southern Iran on Saturday morning, according to Iranian government officials, as military tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel sharply intensified.
Iranian state-affiliated news agencies Tasnim and Fars reported that missiles hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh Girls’ Elementary School in the city of Minab, located in Hormozgan province, during ongoing joint military operations conducted by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets.
Authorities in Tehran said the majority of the victims were girls aged seven to 12 who were attending classes at the time of the strike. Saturday marks the start of the working and school week in Iran, and approximately 170 students were reportedly inside the school when the explosion occurred.
Eyewitness Accounts Describe Devastation
A teacher who survived the incident recounted scenes of destruction in an interview with London-based news outlet Middle East Eye. She said she had briefly stepped outside moments before the blast and returned to find classrooms devastated.
“I felt like I had gone mute. I couldn’t speak,” the teacher said. “You could hear children crying and screaming everywhere.”
Images and videos circulating on Telegram channels linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) showed civilians searching through rubble as smoke billowed from the damaged school building.
Claims and Counterclaims Amid War Conditions
While Iranian officials condemned the strike as a deliberate attack on civilians, independent verification of casualty figures remains difficult due to restricted access and wartime information controls.
Sources inside Iran told international media outlets that official reports should be approached cautiously, warning that competing narratives and propaganda campaigns are intensifying amid the ongoing conflict.
A spokesperson for the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) acknowledged awareness of reports involving civilian casualties but stopped short of confirming responsibility.
“We take these reports seriously and are looking into them,” the spokesperson said. “The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimize the risk of unintended harm.”
Diplomatic Fallout and Regional Escalation
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who had been engaged in nuclear negotiations with U.S. envoys prior to the escalation, condemned the incident in a statement posted on social media.
“The destroyed building is a primary school for girls… bombed in broad daylight while filled with young pupils,” Araghchi said, describing the attack as the killing of “dozens of innocent children.”
The reported school strike came as U.S. and Israeli forces launched coordinated military operations involving Tomahawk cruise missiles and airpower targeting Iranian military infrastructure.
In response, Iran announced retaliatory missile strikes against U.S. military installations across the Middle East. Iranian authorities claimed attacks on facilities linked to the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain, as well as bases in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. Missile activity was also reported by regional allies including Iraq and Jordan.
Casualty figures from Iran’s retaliatory attacks remain unclear.
Political Repercussions in the United States
The widening conflict has triggered political divisions within the United States. Former President Donald Trump, associated with the current military posture, has faced criticism from both political opponents and some conservative commentators.
Media personality Tucker Carlson publicly condemned the military action, calling the strikes “absolutely disgusting and evil,” reflecting growing fractures within segments of Trump’s political support base.
Rising Concerns Over Civilian Safety
International observers warn that the incident highlights mounting risks to civilians as hostilities expand across the region. Human rights groups have renewed calls for independent investigations into alleged civilian casualties and adherence to international humanitarian law.
As tensions continue to escalate, fears are growing that the confrontation could evolve into a broader regional conflict with significant humanitarian consequences. ##
NEWS & PHOTOS SOURCE: DAILYMAIL.COM.UK