Iran says 165 schoolgirls were killed in a US-Israeli strike in Minab. Haunting grave images spark global outrage amid escalating US-Iran conflict.
Iranian officials say a joint US-Israeli airstrike targeted a primary school in Minab, a city in Hormozgan province. (Photo: X/araghchi)
As fighting intensifies between the United States and Iran, a tragic incident in southern Iran has shifted global attention to the growing civilian toll of the conflict. A devastating airstrike on a primary school in the city of Minab has reportedly killed 165 schoolgirls and injured dozens more, according to Iranian authorities. A widely shared photograph showing rows of freshly dug graves has now become a powerful symbol of the human cost of war.
The image, shared on social media by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, shows long lines of burial plots marked with white chalk outlines across a dusty field. Mourners stand nearby as funeral preparations begin, capturing a moment of deep national grief.
“These are graves being dug for more than 160 innocent young girls who were killed in the US-Israeli bombing of a primary school. Their bodies were torn to shreds,” Araghchi wrote. He added: “From Gaza to Minab, innocents murdered in cold blood”.
Iranian officials say a joint US-Israeli airstrike targeted a primary school in Minab, a city in Hormozgan province. According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, quoting a local prosecutor, 96 people were also wounded in the strike.
The reported casualty figures have not been independently verified.
These are graves being dug for more than 160 innocent young girls who were killed in the US-Israeli bombing of a primary school. Their bodies were torn to shreds.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 2, 2026
This is how "rescue" promised by Mr. Trump looks in reality.
From Gaza to Minab, innocents murdered in cold blood. pic.twitter.com/cRdJ3BELOn
Verified videos circulating online show rescue workers digging through broken concrete slabs and debris at the site of the school. Footage reveals school bags and children’s belongings pulled from under the rubble, indicating the strike occurred during school hours.
The Israeli military has stated that it is not aware of any strikes in the area mentioned by Iranian authorities. Meanwhile, the US military has said it is reviewing reports of civilian harm.
At the United Nations, Iran described the bombing as a deliberate strike on civilian infrastructure. Officials labelled it a war crime and a crime against humanity, urging the international community to condemn the attack.
Iran's mission in India also shared the burial image in a separate post, describing the site as “Small graves for little angels” and stating that the elementary school students of Minab were now “together in heaven, side by side.”
The emotional language used by Iranian officials has intensified diplomatic tensions as the broader conflict between Tehran and Washington deepens.
The Minab tragedy highlights the growing risk to civilians as military operations expand across the region. Analysts warn that continued retaliatory strikes between Iran and its adversaries increase the likelihood of further civilian casualties.
The conflict has already disrupted regional stability, air travel, and economic activity, but incidents like the Minab school bombing have added a humanitarian dimension that is drawing international concern.
Global leaders have called for restraint, but hostilities between the US, Israel, and Iran show no immediate signs of slowing.
While Iran strongly condemns the strike, both the Israeli and US militaries have either denied involvement or stated that they are reviewing the claims. Independent investigations into the incident remain pending.
As images from Minab continue to circulate online, they serve as a stark reminder that civilians, especially children, often pay the highest price in modern warfare.
