The human cost of the ongoing military campaign against Iran became starkly visible after an Israeli strike hit an elementary girls’ school in southern Iran, killing at least 51 people, according to state media. The incident has intensified scrutiny over civilian casualties as Israel and the United States continue large-scale operations across the country.
The strike took place in Minab, located in Iran’s Hormozgan province. Officials said the attack hit a functioning girls’ school, turning a civilian location into one of the deadliest sites of the conflict so far.
Israel-Iran Tension: What Happened at the Minab Girls’ School?
Iranian state media reported that at least 51 people were killed when the school building was struck. Emergency responders rushed to the site as families searched for missing children amid the debris. The scale of the casualties immediately raised concerns about the targeting of civilian infrastructure during the ongoing military campaign.
BREAKING — 40 Iranian children are dead after a strike hits Minab girls elementary school in Iran, Tasnim reports pic.twitter.com/MtEO83reyR
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) February 28, 2026
Separately, Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that another Israeli strike hit a school east of Tehran, killing at least two students. These incidents have added to mounting anger and grief across the country.
Israel-Iran Tension: Journalist Warns of Fallout Over Civilian Targets
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Vall highlighted the seriousness of the Minab attack, saying, “New reports are confirming the number of people killed in that strike has now gone above 40. That’s a civilian target, and that’s one of the targets that might really become problematic about this campaign by the Americans and the Israelis, who are saying that they are targeting only military targets and they are trying to punish the regime, not the people of Iran.
He added, “President Trump has promised the Iranian people that aid, or help, is coming their way, but now we are seeing civilian casualties; that’s something that the Iranian government will stress as a case of violation of international law and an aggression against the Iranian people.”
Israel-Iran Tension: Civilian Deaths Challenge Military Claims
US and Israeli officials have repeatedly stated that their operations aim at military infrastructure and government facilities. However, strikes on schools and other civilian sites have complicated that narrative and strengthened Iran’s accusations of unlawful attacks.
Iranian officials say such incidents undermine claims of precision targeting and will feature prominently in Tehran’s diplomatic and legal response.
Israel-Iran Tension: A Pattern of Civilian Impact
According to Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education, thousands of civilians were killed or injured during the US-Israel 12-day war in June 2025, with widespread damage to public infrastructure. The latest school strike has revived painful memories of that conflict and renewed fears of further civilian losses.
As images and reports of dead children spread, pressure is growing on the international community to respond. With civilian casualties rising, the focus of the conflict is shifting beyond military objectives to the humanitarian consequences unfolding across Iran.
