Tehran: At least 153 people, including children, were killed after a reported missile strike hit a girls’ school in Minab in southern Iran, according to Iranian officials, in one of the deadliest incidents since the latest escalation of conflict in the region.
Authorities in Tehran blamed the United States and Israel for the attack. However, the United States Central Command (Centcom) said it was reviewing reports of the incident, while the Israel Defence Forces stated it was not aware of any operations in the area at the time.
The school was located roughly 600 metres from a base belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a frequent target in previous strikes. Iranian emergency services said the facility was hit by three missiles while classes were likely in session, as Iran’s workweek runs from Saturday to Thursday.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported that at least 201 people have been killed and 747 injured in air strikes across the country. International humanitarian officials in Geneva confirmed that response teams were mobilised immediately following the school attack.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the strike as a barbaric act and described it as another black page in the record of countless crimes committed by the aggressors. Centcom spokesman Tim Hawkins said in a statement carried by US media that the military takes civilian protection seriously and would continue to take precautions to minimise unintended harm.
Videos showed smoke billowing from a damaged building and panicked crowds gathering at the scene. However, independent verification of the death toll remains difficult, as foreign journalists often face restrictions on entering Iran.
Public reaction inside and outside the country has been intense. Many Iranian social media users expressed outrage over the deaths of children, while others questioned official accounts, reflecting longstanding mistrust toward the government.
The tragedy unfolded with a broader wave of air strikes launched by US and Israeli forces targeting multiple Iranian cities over the weekend. The escalation followed reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior commanders were killed in an earlier strike.
This development has dramatically heightened tensions across the Middle East. Rescue operations are ongoing as fears grow that the casualty toll may continue to rise.
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