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Iran School Bombing: Reports of Over 100 Deaths
Iran has claimed that a Saturday bombing resulted in over 100 deaths at a school in the southern part of the country. However, neither the United States nor Israel has confirmed such an attack. Israel stated it has no knowledge of any American or Israeli strike on a school in Iran, and Washington assured that it is investigating these reports.
The Associated Press (AP) was unable to access the location independently to verify the casualty count and alleged facts. Iranian authorities require explicit permission for foreign media to cover events outside of Tehran. Stay tuned to our live coverage for the latest developments regarding the strikes against Iran. Here’s what we know so far.
Footage taken from a parking lot shows thick black smoke billowing from a damaged building adorned with murals depicting children and an apple. The AP geolocated the location shown in the video to a building in Minab, which appears to be a school, but could not independently verify the nature of the site. A second video, authenticated by multiple media outlets, including the New York Times, shows a similar damaged structure filmed from a different angle. Colorful murals, similar to those observed in the first video, are visible, while bystanders in civilian clothes, visibly distressed, gather nearby.
Iranian state television identified the location as the Shajare Tayyebeh girls’ primary school in Minab. The AP could not independently verify the date the images were taken.
On Saturday, local authorities claimed that Israeli missiles struck the Shajare Tayyebeh facility, located near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway. The Iranian Red Crescent initially reported 108 deaths, a number that increased throughout the day after an initial assessment of five deaths provided by the province’s governor. “The number of martyr students at the Minab school has risen to 108, and rescue and debris removal operations are continuing,” a spokesperson for the organization stated. On Sunday, the governor announced a death toll of 165 and the end of the search.
“At this time, we are not aware of any Israeli or American strikes in this area… We are conducting our operations with extreme precision,” affirmed Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, a spokesperson for the Israeli military. The AP contacted the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which has not responded so far. The Pentagon has also not responded, but a CENTCOM spokesperson told the New York Times that an investigation has been launched.
“We are aware of reports of civilian casualties resulting from ongoing military operations. We take these reports seriously and are investigating,” he said. “The protection of civilians is paramount, and we will continue to take all necessary precautions to minimize the risk of unintended harm,” he insisted.
The human rights organization Hengaw, based in Norway, announced it is investigating the identities of the students allegedly killed in the bombing. In a statement, it explained that morning classes were underway at the Shajare Tayyebeh school at the time of the event and approximately 170 students may have been present.
France’s Position: France is closely monitoring the situation and has called for a thorough investigation into the incident. French officials have expressed concern over the rising death toll and the potential for further escalation in the region. The French government is in contact with both Israeli and Iranian authorities to gather more information and urge restraint.
Further Developments: Following the strikes, the reported death of the Supreme Leader, initially announced by Trump, was confirmed by Iran. An Amber Alert was lifted overnight from Saturday to Sunday. The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has the potential to reshape the Middle East.
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