Mass Funeral in Iran After School Attack: 170 Girls Dead
A school strike in Minab during the Iran–Israel–United States conflict killed many students and sparked strong condemnation from Iranian leaders.
During the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, a tragic incident occurred when a school in southern Iran was struck during a military operation.
The attack took place on 28 February at around 10:45 am at Shajareh Tayebeh Primary School in the coastal city of Minab. According to reports, the strike happened during a joint military operation carried out by the United States and Israel.
In Iran, schools normally operate from Saturday to Thursday. Due to rising tensions, authorities had ordered schools to close early at 9:40 am that day. However, it is still unclear whether the strike happened before the warning reached the school or shortly after it.
At the time of the attack, around 170 girls were inside the school. According to local reports, the strike killed about 175 people, mostly young schoolgirls along with some staff members. Around 95 people were injured in the incident.
Rescue teams rushed to the location soon after the explosion. Provincial governor Mohammad Ashouri said emergency workers immediately began searching for survivors. Images shown on Iranian state television displayed the school building badly damaged, with broken desks and benches buried under debris. In the courtyard, grieving parents were seen crying as rescue workers continued their search.
Iran’s leadership strongly condemned the attack. President Masoud Pezeshkian described the strike as inhumane. Under international law, intentionally attacking civilian locations such as schools or hospitals is considered a war crime, and even during military operations, forces are required to minimise harm to civilians.
The following day, a mass funeral ceremony was held in Minab. Workers dug long rows of graves at a burial site about five miles from the school. Coffins were brought on trucks surrounded by large crowds of mourners. Many people threw sweets and rose petals on the coffins while others cried and prayed.
At the funeral, men waved the Iranian national flag while women dressed in black mourned nearby. Some people in the crowd shouted slogans against the United States and Israel and called for resistance.
Later reports suggested that the school building had once been part of a facility connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. However, it was reportedly separated from the military base in 2016 and was no longer connected to it.
So far, neither the United States nor Israel has officially confirmed the strike on the school. However, United States Central Command said it was aware of reports about civilian casualties and was reviewing the situation.
There were also separate reports of another strike hitting Hedayat High School in Tehran, where two students were reportedly killed in the Narmak district.
