Attacks on Iranian schools during the 2026 war

During the 2026 war between Iran and the US-Israeli coalition, a series of attacks were made against educational facilities in Iran, which are considered breaches of international humanitarian law. According to verified reports, attacks were made against schools in the cities of Minab, Tehran, and Parand using missiles. The most critical of these attacks was made on the 28th of February 2026 in the city of Minab, where the Shajre Tayyiba girls' school was destroyed, [...] at least 165 of the students and staff.

The attacks have received widespread condemnation from the United Nations, UNESCO, and various human rights activists like Malala Yousafzai. UNESCO termed the event a "grave violation of humanitarian law" and emphasized the importance of protecting students from conflict. According to a report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), at least 181 of the more than 1,300 people killed in the attacks on Iran were children.

Background

The Shajreh Tayyiba Girls' School was situated in the city of Minab. This school was situated near the IRGC Navy base. According to historical satellite imagery information, the school was situated within the IRGC Navy base. In fact, the roads connected the school building to the rest of the IRGC base. However, the satellite imagery from September 2016 indicates that the school building is no longer connected to the base. Based on the information derived from the island via satellite imagery that was collected over the last decade or more, along with video clips and reports published by the Iranian government, it is evident that the school was clearly separated from the adjacent military base for the last 10 years or more. According to the satellite imagery that was made publicly available, it is evident that the building had the characteristics of a school. In fact, the school had a sports field that was added to the school.

The Attacks

The bloodiest assault on Iranian academic targets in the 2026 war happened on Saturday, February 28, 2026 (10 Esfand 1404), in the city of Minab in Hormozgan Province. Iranian officials report that the assault occurred at around 10:45 local time (07:15 GMT), on the first day of the Iranian workweek, when students and teachers were in their classrooms. The academic targets of this assault were the Shajre Tayyebeh girls' school and the IRGC naval base. Satellite imagery analysis of this area, as well as verified video footage, confirms that it was a target of "multiple simultaneous or near-simultaneous attacks."

Legal experts and international organizations have expressed concern about the possibility of a [...] in the attack on the Minab school. An attack on a school can be a [...]. The UN's human rights chief, Volker Turk, declared on Friday that the UN has "serious concerns" about the attacks to ensure they conform to international humanitarian law. He also urged the United States to carry out its investigation "very quickly," saying that his agency has asked the United States to carry out a "prompt, transparent, and impartial investigation." UN spokesperson Ravana Shamdasani told CNN that the attack "must not become another horrific incident that slips out of the headlines and is no longer a priority. There must be accountability."

Reactions and Positions

The attack on Minab School and other Iranian schools has been denounced by various international organizations. The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and other United Nations organizations have denounced the military attacks. UNESCO expressed its concern about the "gross violation of humanitarian law" in its social media post and stated that "students are protected under international humanitarian law in a place dedicated to education and that 'attacks on educational facilities endanger students and teachers and undermine the right to education.'"

On Friday, UN human rights chief Volker Turk urged the United States to carry out its investigation "very quickly," adding that his agency has urged the United States to carry out "prompt, transparent, and impartial investigations." He also noted that the UN has "significant concerns" about the compliance of the attacks with international humanitarian law. UN spokesperson Ravana Shamdasani was quoted by CNN as saying that the attack "must not become another horrific incident that slips out of the headlines and is no longer a priority. There must be accountability."