Geneva, March 17, 2026 — A United Nations fact‑finding team has opened an investigation into a deadly strike on a primary school in Minab that Iranian officials say occurred on February 28, the first day of US‑Israeli attacks on Iran. Rescue teams searched the rubble of the Shajareh Tayyebeh School after the incident, officials said.
Iranian authorities have reported that two missiles struck the school in quick succession and that 168 children, mostly girls, were killed. Members of the UN Fact‑Finding Mission on Iran told reporters the inquiry is in its early stages but that the team has received credible reports consistent with the casualty figures provided by Iranian officials.
Max du Plessis, a member of the mission, said an independent, impartial investigation is essential given the scale of civilian losses. He emphasized the need for a transparent outcome that establishes responsibility.
If the United States is ultimately found responsible for the strike, the incident would rank among the deadliest civilian casualty events linked to US military operations in the Middle East in recent decades, analysts and officials have warned.
