Death toll in joint US-Israeli military strike on Iran primary school rises to 148

(Web Desk) – The death toll from a joint US-Israeli military strike on a primary school in southern Iran has risen to 148, most of them schoolgirls, Iranian authorities said on Sunday, according to the Financial Times.

The strike occurred on Saturday as US and Israeli forces launched coordinated military operations against Iran, beginning in Tehran and extending to other parts of the country. Mohammad Ashouri, governor of Hormozgan province, stated that Shajareh Tayebeh primary school in the coastal city of Minab was hit at approximately 10:45am.

Ashouri said around 170 schoolgirls were inside the school at the time of the attack and expressed hope that rescue teams might find survivors beneath the rubble.

In a statement, the Minab judiciary reported that 148 people had been killed and 95 others injured.

State television broadcast images of the destroyed school building, showing desks buried under debris as distraught mothers gathered in the courtyard.

Iranian officials condemned the strike, describing it as an example of US and Israeli aggression. President Masoud Pezeshkian called the attack “savage” and “inhumane,” while foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei labelled it a “war crime.”

Neither the United States nor Israel has publicly explained the reason for the strike. However, the US military acknowledged reports of civilian casualties linked to its joint operation with Israel.

“We are aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations. We take these reports seriously and are looking into them,” said Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for US Central Command, which oversees American military activities in the region.

“The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all available precautions to minimise the risk of unintended harm,” he added.

Iranian state television reported that many civilians had been killed in various parts of the country, describing the Minab school strike as the deadliest incident so far, though it did not provide an overall civilian casualty figure.

Iran’s Red Crescent reported that 201 people were killed and 747 injured across 24 provinces on Saturday, without specifying how many of the victims were civilians.

Ali Alizadeh, governor of Lamerd in southern Iran, said four residential neighbourhoods in his area, including a sports hall, were targeted during the joint operation, resulting in at least 15 civilian deaths and numerous injuries.

Iran has yet to confirm details of multiple reported strikes in different districts of Tehran. A text message sent to residents, titled “Iran,” urged people to leave the capital if possible and relocate to safer areas due to the ongoing joint US and Israeli operations against Tehran and other major cities.

Highways leading from Tehran to coastal areas along the Caspian Sea have reportedly been converted into one-way routes and are heavily congested, as residents attempt to flee amid fears that residential buildings could be struck.

During the June 2025 conflict with Israel, which was largely centred on Tehran, officials said more than 8,500 buildings were damaged, 650 were completely destroyed, and over 1,000 civilians were killed nationwide.