U.S. Missile Strike Near Iranian School Kills Dozens of Children

MINAB, IRAN — A catastrophic airstrike has leveled the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in southern Iran, leaving at least 165 children dead and nearly 100 others injured. The incident, which occurred during the opening wave of the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, has sparked international outrage and accusations of potential war crimes.

Key Takeaways: The Minab School Tragedy

• Massive Casualty Count: At least 165 schoolgirls (ages 7–12) and staff were killed, making this the deadliest single event of the current war.

• Military “Accident” Claim: U.S. investigators admit it is “likely” American munitions hit the school while targeting an adjacent IRGC naval base.

• Timeline of Airstrike: The school was hit by a “triple-tap” (three successive missiles) during morning classes on Feb 28, 2026.

• International Outcry: UN experts and UNESCO are calling for an independent investigation into potential war crimes under the Rome Statute.

• Regional Retaliation: The event has fueled a massive surge in Iranian retaliatory strikes against U.S. and allied interests in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE.

U.S. strike Iranian school Minab

The Attack: “Triple-Tap” Strike during School Hours

Witnesses and local officials in the city of Minab reported that the school was hit by multiple precision-guided missiles between 10:00 and 10:45 a.m. local time on February 28, just as students were changing periods. Graphic footage from the scene shows rescue workers and parents frantically digging through the rubble of collapsed roofs to recover the bodies of girls, mostly aged between 7 and 12.

Initial reports from Iranian state media and local prosecutors suggest the death toll could rise as high as 180, as many students remain trapped under heavy concrete debris. Among the dead are the school’s principal and several teachers.

U.S. Admits “Likely” Responsibility Amid Investigation

While the Trump administration initially distanced itself from the tragedy, U.S. military investigators told Reuters on March 6 that it is “likely” American forces were responsible for the strike.

Pentagon officials stated that the school sits adjacent to a major Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval base, which was a primary target for U.S. Tomahawk missiles during the first day of the conflict. Investigators are currently determining whether the tragedy was the result of a “weapon system failure” or a “significant intelligence error.”

However, an independent digital investigation by Al Jazeera countered these claims, using satellite imagery to show that the school has been clearly separated from the military facility for over a decade, raising questions about whether the target was hit deliberately.

Global Condemnation and “War Crime” Allegations

The United Nations and human rights groups have reacted with profound shock.

UN Experts: A panel of UN human rights experts in Geneva called the strike a “grave assault on the future of an entire community,” stating there is “no excuse for killing girls in a classroom.”

UNESCO: The education agency described the bombing as a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”

Malala Yousafzai: The Nobel laureate stated she was “heartbroken and appalled,” calling the killing of children “unconscionable.”

As Iran holds mass funerals in Hormozgan province, the image of dozens of small coffins wrapped in white shrouds has become a rallying cry for retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, further complicating hopes for a diplomatic ceasefire.

Read Also:

Iran Names Mojtaba Khamenei as New Supreme Leader Amid Escalating War