Iran-Israel Conflict Escalates: 40 Killed in Strike on Girls' School in Minab as US and Israel Launch Major Offensive
At least 40 people were killed Saturday when an airstrike struck a girls’ elementary school in southern Iran, according to state-run media. The incident occurred in the city of Minab, located in Hormozgan province, amid a massive joint military operation launched by the United States and Israel against targets across the country.
Minab, February 28: At least 40 people were killed Saturday when an airstrike struck a girls’ elementary school in southern Iran, according to state-run media. The incident occurred in the city of Minab, located in Hormozgan province, amid a massive joint military operation launched by the United States and Israel against targets across the country. The state-run IRNA news agency reported that the school was a direct target of the attack. Initial reports from local officials had placed the death toll lower, but the figure was revised upward as rescue teams worked through the debris. In addition to the fatalities, at least 45 others were reported wounded, many of them in critical condition.
The strike on the educational facility in Minab—a city that also houses a base for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard—marks one of the highest recorded civilian casualty counts since the onset of the current military campaign. While the Iranian government has labeled the attack a direct assault on civilians, neither U.S. nor Israeli military officials have provided specific details regarding the intended target in the Minab area. The airstrike is part of a broader offensive characterized by U.S. President Donald Trump as "major combat operations." In a video statement, President Trump called on the Iranian public to "seize control of your destiny" and rise up against the ruling clerical leadership. Concurrently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the joint operation aims to create conditions for the Iranian people to "take their fate into their own hands." Donald Trump Confirms US Military Campaign Against Iran, Urges Iranians to ‘Take Over Government’; Watch Full Speech.
In response to the nationwide strikes, which have reportedly targeted government offices, military infrastructure, and intelligence hubs, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced it has launched a "first wave" of retaliatory drones and missiles toward Israel. Regional tensions have further escalated as Iranian missiles reportedly reached neighboring Gulf states, resulting in at least one fatality in Abu Dhabi due to falling shrapnel. International reactions have been swift. Russia condemned the strikes as a "dangerous adventure" that could lead to a humanitarian and economic catastrophe. Meanwhile, several neighboring Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, have condemned Iranian retaliatory actions and signaled they are on high alert. Israel-Iran War: ‘Operation Lion’s Roar’ Launched To Remove ‘Existential Threat’ Posed by ‘Terror Regime’, Says Israeli PM Benjamin Netayahu (Watch Video).
Death Toll Hits 40 in Southern Iran School Strike
The escalation follows months of heightened friction over Iran’s nuclear program and internal unrest within the country. As of Saturday evening, airspace over both Iran and Israel remained closed, and authorities in Tehran have moved Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to a secure, undisclosed location.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 28, 2026 06:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).