US-Israeli airstrike kills 51 students at Iranian school

An airstrike by the US and Israel has resulted in the deaths of at least 51 students at a girls' elementary school in Minab, located near Bandar Abbas in the Hormozgan province of southern Iran, according to reports from state news agency IRNA and other outlets. The governor of Minab confirmed the attack this afternoon, stating that an additional 48 people, including students, were injured. The death toll is quickly increasing. Due to communication breakdowns and ongoing military actions, details are limited. However, images shared by Iranian media show the school in ruins, with only the outer walls remaining standing. The strike occurred as Israel and the US commenced attacks on Iranian cities early on Saturday, February 28, marking it as the deadliest incident reported so far. Mohammad Radmehr, the Special Governor of Minab, informed IRNA, “This morning, the girls' school of Derakht-e Tayyeba in the city was directly attacked by the Zionist regime, leading to the martyrdom of several students.” There were 170 girls present in the morning shift at the Minab school, as noted by the Political, Security, and Social Deputy Governor of Hormozgan earlier today. He indicated that the number of dead and injured is expected to rise further. Videos from the scene depict shocked onlookers as smoke billows from a classroom on the upper floor of the school. Initial reports at 4:01 PM stated that five people had died. The Tehran Times reported at 1:55 PM local time that the death toll had increased to 24, with several injuries. By 5:44 PM, the count of fatalities had risen to 41, with many more injured as rescue efforts continued through the debris. According to IRNA's latest update, referenced by Turkey’s Anadolu news agency, the death toll is still climbing and has surpassed 51.