UN agencies warned that attacks on schools violate international law as regional tensions escalated following coordinated US and Israeli strikes and Iran’s missile retaliation.
Thousands attend the funeral procession in Minab, Iran, following the deaths of schoolgirls in a US-Israeli strike on a primary school in Hormozgan province. (Photo: ANI)
Thousands of mourners gathered in Iran’s southern city of Minab on Tuesday for the funeral of schoolgirls killed in weekend air and missile strikes blamed on the United States and Israel.
The ceremony quickly became both a tribute and a protest, as anger over the deaths of young students spilled onto the streets. According to UN News, around 150 people have died and nearly 100 were injured after Minab Girls Primary School in Hormozgan province was struck during the attacks.
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Footage aired by Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV showed vast crowds lining the roads, carrying coffins and chanting against what they described as an assault on innocent children. In posts on X, the channel referred to the gathering as a funeral for the “martyrs” of what it called a “terrorist attack” on the elementary school. It said more than 165 schoolgirls were among those killed.
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Stunning time-lapse of the large crowd of mourners at the funeral ceremony for the 168 schoolgirls martyred by the Israeli and US armies.
Follow https://t.co/B3zXG73Jym pic.twitter.com/rbWd0JJTyJ
— Press TV (@PressTV) March 3, 2026
International agencies have expressed concern over the strike on an educational institution. UNESCO, in a statement shared on social media, said it was deeply troubled by the continued military action and reminded all sides that schools and students are protected under international humanitarian law. It stressed that attacks on places of learning threaten both lives and the right to education.
The funeral took place against the backdrop of a sharp military escalation in West Asia. Hostilities intensified after a large-scale offensive began on February 28. In a joint operation described as “Operation Epic Fury” or “Roaring Lion,” US and Israeli forces carried out coordinated air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting military installations, nuclear-linked facilities and command centres.
US President Donald Trump informed Congress on Monday about the strikes, according to Fox News. In his letter, he said the operation was ordered to safeguard American forces and interests, including maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz, and to support regional allies.
“At my direction, on February 28, 2026, United States forces conducted precision strikes against numerous targets within Iran including ballistic missile sites, maritime mining capabilities, air defenses, and command and control capabilities,” Trump wrote. He added that no US ground troops were deployed and that the mission was designed to limit civilian harm while deterring further threats.
Iran hit back with ballistic missiles and drones, targeting US-linked sites and countries seen as Washington’s allies in the region, including Israel, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. With each strike and counter-strike, the map of the conflict has stretched wider, leaving ordinary families across West Asia bracing for what might come next.
World leaders and international bodies have urged both sides to step back before the situation spirals further.
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