Iran has provided an updated breakdown of fatalities resulting from a missile strike on an elementary school in Minab, which occurred on February 28, the first day of the recent Middle East conflict. According to state media reports released Tuesday, 73 boys and 47 girls were killed in the attack, alongside 26 teachers, seven parents, a school bus driver, and a nearby clinic’s pharmacy technician, bringing the confirmed death toll to 155.
The strike coincided with coordinated attacks by the United States and Israel—referred to by Iranian officials as the “Zionist entity”—across Iran. In response, Tehran launched retaliatory strikes on targets within Israel and Gulf states. Initial casualty figures had estimated over 175 deaths, but the latest tally has been revised downward based on information disseminated by Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB via Telegram.
A preliminary investigation by the U.S. military, reported by media outlets, indicated that the elementary school was struck by a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile due to a targeting error. This finding contrasts with early statements from then-President Donald Trump, who suggested Iran might have been responsible for the strike, despite Iran lacking Tomahawk missile capabilities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi condemned the attack in a video address to the United Nations Human Rights Council, describing it as a “calculated, phased assault.” He emphasized that given the advanced technology and precision capabilities claimed by U.S. and Israeli forces, the strike could not be seen as accidental. Araqchi asserted that the assault on the school was deliberate and intentional, reflecting Tehran’s view that the incident was part of a broader pattern of aggression by the U.S. and Israel in the region.
The incident has intensified international scrutiny of the conflict’s human toll and raised questions about the conduct of military operations near civilian targets. Official investigations and diplomatic discussions are ongoing as the situation continues to evolve.