Iran Says US and Israel Struck Minab Girls' School; Israel Denies Involvement

Iranian authorities and state media say a reported airstrike struck Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab, Hormozgan province, on Feb. 28 amid a wave of US–Israeli strikes.

“France is sending additional air-defence assets and the frigate Languedoc to waters off Cyprus (arriving this evening)”

Ahram Online

They say the strike killed scores of pupils and staff.

Al Jazeera

Tehran has directly blamed the United States and Israel.

Washington and Jerusalem have denied deliberately targeting the school or said they were unaware of strikes in the area and are investigating.

Iranian state media and local officials reported high civilian tolls, published images of newly dug graves, and staged large funerals in Minab.

Iran’s Red Crescent and rights groups gave varying totals; published figures in different outlets range from roughly 150 to about 170 children and staff said killed.

Al Jazeera

Footage of coffins, flag-draped burials, and mass mourning has been widely circulated in Iranian broadcasts.

The United Nations and international rights bodies have called for prompt, impartial investigations and warned the attack (described by UN officials as devastating) could amount to violations of international humanitarian law.

“Keir Starmer said the UK’s role in recent US strikes on Iran was “defensive” after a string of incidents that forced Western allies to manage the fallout”

Al Jazeera

UNESCO, the UN human-rights office (OHCHR) and rights advocates have urged accountability while noting investigators do not yet have enough verified information to make final legal determinations.

U.S. officials have publicly denied deliberately targeting schools.

They said the Pentagon and US Central Command are investigating reports of civilian harm.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

U.S. politicians and spokespeople reiterated that American operations were aimed at degrading missile capabilities.

Some U.S. and Israeli statements differ on responsibility, and lines of inquiry remain open.

Independent verification has been constrained: Iran has blocked foreign journalists from the site.

“A rapidly evolving Middle East crisis has prompted widespread evacuations, embassy closures and emergency transport for foreign nationals: the US closed or evacuated staff from posts in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan while its embassy in Beirut urged Americans to leave; evacuation flights and ferry arrangements were organized (some commercial services resumed in Dubai), and there were reports of an embassy fire in Riyadh after an explosion”

Armenia News

Rights groups and AFP have geolocated and analysed open footage suggesting the damaged building is a school and note the site lies close to IRGC facilities.

AzerNews

Several outlets say the proximity to military-linked sites complicates attribution and leaves key questions unresolved.