Full story
Minab school strike
An early-morning strike hit a girls’ primary/elementary school in Minab, in southern Hormozgan province, Iran, and rescue teams searched the rubble.
“Iranian state media say the death toll from an attack on a girls’ primary school in Minab, southern Hormozgan province, has risen to 85. The judiciary’s Mizan Online quoted the local prosecutor’s office for the figure, while state news agency IRNA said the school was hit in what it described as a U.S.-Israeli strike. Earlier and varying local counts reported five, 24, about 40 and later 51 children killed as rescue and recovery operations continued; the county governor also said about 60 students were wounded. The reports present Iranian authorities’ accounts of the incident and its evolving casualty numbers.”
Iranian state media and judicial sources reported a rapidly rising and disputed death toll.
Türkiye Today reported that Iranian state media said the death toll had risen to 85.
The New Arab said the judiciary reported the death toll had risen to 85 and that the government said the strikes were carried out by the US and Israel.
Albawaba reported that State TV said the school was directly struck, killing at least 40 students and injuring dozens.
Eyewitness and local reporting documented dazed onlookers, plumes of smoke from an upper-floor classroom, and women wailing, according to TheWire.in.
These accounts are contradictory on the death toll, with different outlets reporting 85 and at least 40 student fatalities.
Conflicting casualty reports
Casualty figures varied widely across state and international outlets through the day, with numbers cited ranging from the tens to double digits and repeatedly revised upward as searches continued.
Haberler reported that the death toll rose to 64, previously reported as 51.
APA (cited by Apa.az) documented a sequence of counts: initial reports said 24 dead, then 40 (IRNA), later counts reached 51, 57, 70 and a latest toll of 85 killed and 92 injured.
The Associated Press, cited by WTOP, gave an earlier IRNA figure of 40 for the death toll from a US-Israeli strike on a girls' school in southern Iran.
News18 reported that Iranian state media said joint US‑Israel airstrikes across Iran killed at least 85 people, including students and children.
Reporting on Iran strikes
Iranian authorities and state outlets attributed a school strike to U.S. and Israeli military action as part of coordinated strikes across Iran, but independent verification and formal claims of responsibility were inconsistent.
“A strike hit a school in Minab while at least 170 students were inside, Iranian officials said, raising the prospect of additional casualties as crews continue to search the site. Iranian media report victims include students and possibly staff, with at least 45 people wounded, some seriously. Neither the United States nor Israel has publicly claimed responsibility, though a US–Israeli coalition earlier carried out strikes across Iran on military, government and intelligence sites. The attack has provoked outrage in Iran and condemnation from rights groups; rescue and relief efforts are ongoing as authorities try to account for the full human toll.”
NewsX noted, "Neither the United States nor Israel has publicly claimed responsibility, though a US–Israeli coalition earlier carried out strikes across Iran on military, government and intelligence sites."
Tempo.co English reported on differing operational aims, quoting NBC: "Two U.S. officials told NBC News that Israel’s strikes targeted Iranian leaders while U.S. strikes focused on Iran’s ballistic and nuclear missile program."
The Daily Star summarized competing claims that Israeli attacks may have killed several senior Iranian officials and noted Tehran's denials, quoting Iran’s foreign minister as saying senior leaders are alive.
News.am framed the events as "a major regional escalation" after the strikes.
Regional strikes and impacts
The strikes triggered wide regional retaliation, air‑defence interceptions and civilian impacts beyond Iran, with states reporting missile attacks or debris and several transport hubs suspended.
Tempo.co English said Iran retaliated with strikes "at northern Israel and Gulf countries hosting U.S. forces," and that "At least one person was killed in Abu Dhabi; Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan reported missile attacks or interceptions."
Mint described explosions across the region and noted that "UAE authorities said they intercepted missiles and one person was killed in Abu Dhabi," adding that "global airlines suspended flights across the region."
The Daily Observer’s summary listed strikes and interceptions across Gulf states and said the UN rights chief "deplored the strikes by Israel and the US and Iran’s retaliatory strikes," urging de‑escalation.
Unverified strike reports
Multiple outlets warned that key details remain unverified and evolving, and international actors called for restraint while investigations and casualty accounting continued.
“Casualty reports and damage remain unverified. Iranian state media said more than 50 people were killed when a strike hit an elementary girls’ school in Minab, Hormozgan province.”
The Daily Star underscored that 'Casualty reports and damage remain unverified' and said the situation involved 'conflicting claims and has not been fully independently verified'.
The Daily Observer quoted Iran’s deputy foreign minister calling the timing 'deeply troubling' and reported that UN rights chief Volker Türk 'deplored the strikes' and urged de-escalation.
Views Bangladesh relayed local officials saying 'an Israeli air strike on a girls’ school in Minab ... has killed 51 people' and noted rescue teams warned 'the toll could rise,' reflecting the broader uncertainty in counts and responsibility.