Arabic version: إيران تقيم جنازة جماعية لضحايا ضربة المدرسة

Iran has conducted a mass funeral for 165 schoolgirls and staff who lost their lives when a primary school in southern Iran’s Hormozgan province was struck during the first day of US-Israeli attacks on Iran. This incident marks the deadliest event in the ongoing military campaign against Tehran.

According to Al Jazeera, the strike has been condemned by various organizations, including UNESCO, and prominent figures such as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. The deliberate targeting of educational institutions is classified as a war crime under international humanitarian law.

The Israeli military has claimed it was not aware of any Israeli or US attacks in that area, despite the ongoing conflict. Historically, Israel has faced scrutiny for its military actions, particularly regarding civilian casualties, often labeling such incidents as accidental.

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed outrage, stating that both the US and Israel continue to conduct indiscriminate strikes on residential areas, sparing neither hospitals, schools, Red Crescent facilities, nor cultural monuments. Thousands of mourners, including families and officials, attended the funeral in Minab, carrying Iranian flags and photographs of the deceased.

In response to the tragedy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that US forces would not intentionally target a school, while the US military has indicated it is investigating reports of civilian harm. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for a prompt and thorough investigation into the attack, describing it as horrific.