Teachers, rescuers and parents recount devastation while investigation remains unresolved
MINAB: Survivors, rescue workers and grieving families continue to mourn the victims of the strike that destroyed Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in the southern Iranian city of Minab during the opening hours of the US-Iran conflict on February 28.
According to Iranian judicial authorities, 156 people, including 120 children, were killed in the attack. Iranian officials say the school was struck during military operations targeting a nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) compound. US officials have not accepted responsibility for the strike, although several US media outlets have reported that a military investigation is examining whether American forces may have unintentionally hit the school because of outdated intelligence. The investigation has not yet been concluded.
Survivors recall moments of chaos
Teacher Amaineh Nademi, who taught first-grade students at the school, described the attack as unfolding shortly after parents had begun collecting children following reports of nearby explosions.
She said a missile struck the building moments after she returned to her classroom, filling it with smoke and causing sections of the school to collapse. Rescue workers from the Iranian Red Crescent later searched through the rubble, while many parents gathered outside desperately searching for their children.
Rescuers said the scale of destruction made identification difficult, with some families recognising victims through clothing and personal belongings.
Questions remain as families mourn
Satellite imagery reviewed by independent analysts has shown damage to both the school and a neighbouring IRGC compound. Historical imagery indicates the school has operated separately from the adjacent facility for several years, while publicly available records identified the location as an educational institution.
The US Department of Defense has stated that its investigation remains ongoing and has not released final findings.
Meanwhile, families continue visiting the graves of children and teachers buried in Minab. Many parents say they are still seeking accountability while remembering loved ones who left home carrying schoolbags, books and notebooks but never returned.
The strike has become a focal point in competing narratives surrounding the conflict, with Iranian officials citing it as evidence of civilian casualties, while US authorities continue to review the circumstances surrounding the incident.
