Iran says US and Israel strikes hit school, killing 108
At least 108 people have died in an explosion at a school in southern Iran, according to a local prosecutor, as the United States and Israel continued large-scale air strikes across the country.
Get the latest headlines in your email 
Iranian officials said the school, in the town of Minab in Hormozgan province, was struck during the latest wave of attacks. The incident has not been independently verified, and there has been no confirmation from either Washington or Tel Aviv that the school was deliberately targeted.
President Masoud Pezeshkian described the attack as a “barbaric act” and “another black page in the record of countless crimes committed by the aggressors”.
School near IRGC base
An official said the school had been “targeted by three missile attacks”. It is located about 600 metres (1,968 feet) from a base belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has been among the sites hit during the strikes.
The proximity of the military facility has raised questions about whether the school was directly targeted or caught in a strike aimed at the nearby base.
The BBC has verified video clips showing the aftermath of the explosion, with smoke rising from a damaged building as crowds gathered nearby. Screams and panic can be heard in the background of the footage.
However, the broadcaster said it had not been able to independently verify the reported death toll. International news organisations are often refused visas to Iran, limiting their ability to report freely from the ground.
Rising nationwide toll
The Iranian Red Crescent said at least 201 people across the country had been killed in the broader wave of air strikes, with 747 injured.
Red Cross and Red Crescent officials in Geneva said response teams had been mobilised to assist at the school site in Minab following the incident.
The figures released by Iranian authorities have not been independently confirmed.
Public anger and mistrust
News of the reported deaths prompted anger on Iranian social media, where users expressed grief and frustration.
An Iranian living abroad who opposes military intervention wrote: “The first victims of this war are 40 girls in Minab, hit by a missile attack. Is this the war you cheer for?”
Others directed criticism at Iran’s leadership, reflecting deep mistrust of official accounts.
One user wrote: “Even if the regime did not directly target schools, the deaths of children in Minab remain the responsibility of the Islamic Republic.
“People have no shelters, the internet is cut, phone lines are down, and there has been no warning to keep children out of school. In these conditions, the minimum requirement should be to stay at home.”
Strikes continue amid leadership claims
The reported school strike took place as US and Israeli forces launched repeated waves of attacks against targets in multiple Iranian cities throughout Saturday.
The offensive appears set to continue, despite US President Donald Trump claiming that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several senior commanders, had been killed in the initial strikes.
Iranian authorities have not confirmed Khamenei’s death.
With casualties rising and conflicting claims emerging from all sides, independent verification of events on the ground remains limited.
Join the discussion? 
Already a member? 
Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 28 Feb 2026
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment