A strike that Iranian officials say was carried out by the United States and Israel struck a girls’ primary school Saturday.
Iranian authorities reported dozens of deaths at the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab. Minab Iran
Investigation Underway
Iran’s Education Ministry said 53 female pupils were killed and many more were wounded. The ministry called the strike “savage.”
State media put the death toll higher, and reporting from other outlets gave varying figures. The exact number remains disputed.
A U.S. military spokesman said American forces were aware of reports of civilian harm. He said an inquiry was under way. U.S. Central Command.
The statement did not confirm responsibility for the strike. It said the military does not target civilians.
Iranian foreign ministry officials blamed the attack on the United States and Israel. Iran’s foreign minister posted a photo online of the damaged school. Abbas Araghchi.
“These crimes against the Iranian people will not go unanswered,” he wrote on social media.
Scenes of grief and chaos followed the strike. Local rescuers and relatives searched through rubble for survivors. Hospitals in Hormozgan received dozens of injured pupils.
Global news organizations reported strikes across several Iranian cities earlier Saturday. Reports said military strikes targeted multiple sites.
World leaders called for calm at the United Nations and urged independent verification of casualty figures.
Eyewitnesses described thick smoke and collapsed classrooms. Rescue workers used heavy equipment to remove concrete and metal. Parents gathered outside the rubble, shouting for their children.
Some foreign outlets reported even higher casualties, including scores of children in multiple attacks. Journalists cautioned that numbers were fluid.
Independent verification inside Iran was limited hours after the strikes. International monitors urged time for full, credible investigations.
The U.S. and Israeli governments have not publicly acknowledged a joint strike on the school. U.S. Central Command said it would look into “reports concerning civilian harm.” United States Israel.