Dozens of schoolgirls killed in missile strike near IRGC base in Minab
Hengaw – Sunday, March 1, 2026
Dozens of schoolgirls were killed and dozens more injured after a missile struck Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab, Hormozgan province, during Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on Iran. The school is located near an IRGC navy base, which was reportedly the intended target of the strike.
Taheri, the prosecutor of Minab, initially announced that 148 students had been killed. The death toll was repeatedly revised amid conflicting official statements. State media first reported five fatalities, later increasing the number to 24, then 40, 53, 65, and 85. By the evening of February 28, 2026, officials stated that 108 students had been killed. On Sunday evening, March 1, the prosecutor declared that 165 students had been killed and 95 others injured.
The reported figure of 165 deaths is particularly striking given that the prosecutor had previously stated that the school’s total enrollment was 170 students.
Videos circulating on social media show extensive destruction to the school building, with large sections reduced to rubble. At the same time, widespread internet disruptions across Iran have significantly limited independent verification by media outlets and human rights organizations, including Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
A review of maps and satellite imagery indicates that the school is situated within a compound that includes several IRGC-affiliated facilities. These reportedly include the Shahid Absalan clinic under the supervision of the IRGC navy’s medical command and the Seyed al-Shohada IRGC cultural complex.
The establishment and expansion of military facilities in close proximity to schools and public spaces place civilians at heightened risk. Under international humanitarian law, the use of civilian areas to shield military objectives is prohibited.
The large-scale strikes carried out on March 1, 2026, by the United States and Israel targeted multiple locations across Iran. Cruise missiles and advanced fighter aircraft were reportedly used, with several coordinated waves of airstrikes conducted simultaneously.
Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols, the protection of children during armed conflict is a binding international obligation. These provisions prohibit the recruitment of children under the age of 15 and require states to safeguard children’s rights to education, medical care, and protection from violence and exploitation.
The use of children as human shields violates the principles of distinction and civilian protection enshrined in international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention and Additional Protocol I. Such conduct may constitute a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Hengaw calls on the international community to closely monitor the situation and urges all parties involved to ensure the protection of civilians, particularly children.
