The US-Israel strike hit a girls’ elementary school in Minab, located in Hormozgan province in southern Iran. According to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency, at least 53 people were killed, while 63 others were injured.
Rescue workers are still clearing debris from the destroyed building. The attack is said to be part of a broader wave of joint military strikes carried out by Israel and the United States across Iran, which has triggered fresh regional violence.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shared an image of the destroyed school and said the attack killed “innocent children”. He warned, “These crimes against the Iranian People will not go unanswered,” in a post on X.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the strike as a “blatant crime” and called on the United Nations Security Council to take action.
Separately, Mehr News Agency reported that at least two students were killed in another Israeli strike on a school east of Tehran.
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Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Vall questioned earlier claims that only military sites were being targeted. He referred to the statement that “they are targeting only military targets and they are trying to punish the regime, not the people of Iran.”
There was no immediate response from Israel or the US regarding the allegations about the school strikes.
The rising civilian toll has raised serious concerns. In a previous 12-day conflict in June 2025, civilian losses in Iran were also reported to be high.
The deaths of children have made the situation more emotional and serious. Civilian casualties can change public opinion quickly. If such incidents continue, anger may grow stronger. Peace talks may become even harder.