Minab School Bombing: A Visual Guide to the Devastating Impact
Amidst the pastel hues of murals depicting trees, paintbrushes, crayons, and microscopes, a dark cloud of black smoke billows. The once pristine glass windows of the school now lie shattered, their curtains torn and tattered. The once vibrant playground has become a scene of devastation, with a red plastic slide and child-sized chairs scattered across the ground. On an overturned bookshelf, a pair of pink plastic sandals, now coated in dust, stand as a poignant reminder of the tragedy that unfolded.
The morning session at the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, southern Iran, was in full swing when the missile struck. The school week in Iran runs from Saturday to Thursday, and the attack commenced around 10 am on a Saturday. Between 10 am and 10.45 am, the missile directly hit the school, reducing its concrete structure to rubble and claiming the lives of dozens of girls aged seven to 12.
Photographs and verified videos from the scene, which The Guardian has chosen not to publish due to their graphic nature, depict harrowing scenes. Children's bodies lie partially buried beneath the debris, and in one video, a tiny severed arm is pulled from the rubble. Bloodied and concrete-covered backpacks are scattered among the ruins. One girl, dressed in a green dress with gingham patches, is partially obscured by a black body bag, with screams audible in the background.
A distraught man stands amidst the school's ruins, holding textbooks and worksheets as rescuers manually clear the debris. He exclaims, 'These are the schoolbooks of the children buried under these ruins. You can see the blood of these children on these books. These are civilians, not military personnel. This was a school where children came to learn.'
According to Iranian state media, the strike resulted in the deaths of up to 168 people and injuries to 95, though these figures remain unverified. The Guardian has pieced together a more detailed account using verified video footage, geolocated images, satellite imagery, and interviews, given the severe restrictions on independent reporting in Iran and ongoing internet blackouts. The Minab girls' school bombing, described by Unesco as a grave violation of international law, stands as the most devastating mass casualty event of the US-Israeli-led attack so far.
The Guardian's investigation revealed that the school was adjacent to a complex housing the local Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) barracks and support buildings. The complex includes a medical clinic and pharmacy, both bearing the IRGC logo. A gymnasium or concert space, marked as the Seyyed al-Shohada Cultural Complex of the Revolutionary Guard, is also part of the larger complex. The school's location has been confirmed by Osint researchers, the Iranian student network, and an independent Farsi fact-checking service.
Despite the school's proximity to the IRGC complex, there is no indication that it was used for military purposes. The classroom building and playground are separated from the rest of the complex by walls, and the colorful murals adorning the school's walls are visible in satellite imagery. The school also enrolled children from the local community, not exclusively military families, as Shiva Amelirad, a representative of the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Associations, informed The Guardian.
The timing of the bombing, the nearby smoke, and the school's location all suggest that the school was targeted as part of a series of strikes by the US and Israel on or around the IRGC complex. The US military has acknowledged the reports of civilian harm and is investigating the matter.
The attack's aftermath saw misinformation spreading online. Some social media accounts falsely claimed the footage was from a school in Pakistan, while others suggested the school was struck by a misfired IRGC missile, presenting evidence that was actually taken 1,600 km away in the city of Zanjan. The US-led war on Iran has already resulted in a significant civilian toll, with the Iranian Red Crescent Society reporting at least 555 deaths across the country, and the Human Rights Activist news agency claiming at least 742 civilian deaths, including 85 confirmed and verified cases, and 176 children among the dead.
Unesco issued a statement calling for all parties to protect schools, students, and teachers, emphasizing that the killing of pupils in a place dedicated to learning constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law. The devastating loss of up to 168 young girls from Minab, a small town near the Sea of Oman, will have a profound impact on the community, with children from various families affected, and in some cases, multiple children from the same family losing their lives.
