TEHRAN — Iran’s top diplomat shared harrowing aerial footage on Monday of mass burial sites for more than 160 schoolgirls allegedly killed in a weekend airstrike, an incident Tehran is blaming on a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation.
The images, posted to social media by Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, show long, orderly rows of freshly dug graves in a dirt lot in southern Iran. The post identifies the victims as students of the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab, which was reportedly leveled during the opening waves of “Operation Epic Fury” on Saturday.
Evidence of Destruction in Minab
The aerial photograph reveals a grim landscape: white chalk rectangles marking burial plots across a vast open field, with yellow excavators still at work. Mourners are visible gathered among the rows.
Araghchi’s caption directly challenged the rhetoric of the Trump administration, which has framed the ongoing military campaign as a liberation effort.
“Their bodies were torn to shreds,” Araghchi wrote. “This is how ‘rescue’ promised by Mr. Trump looks in reality.”
State-run media outlets in Iran reported that the death toll from the Saturday strike has climbed to 165, with dozens more wounded. While the site is located approximately 600 meters from an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy base—a known target of recent strikes—witnesses and local officials maintain the school itself was the point of impact.
Military Denials and Fact-Checking
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated it is “looking into” the reports of civilian harm but has not yet confirmed a strike on the school. A spokesperson for the Israeli military said they were “not aware” of any operations in the Minab area at the time of the reported explosion.
Despite these denials, geolocated video footage verified by independent analysts shows a partially collapsed building decorated with murals of children and school supplies, matching the description of the Shajareh Tayyebeh school. Human rights organizations, including Hengaw, are currently working to identify the victims, though widespread internet blackouts in Iran have slowed the verification process.
A Widening Regional Conflict
The alleged school bombing has become a focal point of Iranian propaganda and international condemnation as the conflict intensifies. The strikes, which began February 28, have reportedly targeted over 130 cities across Iran.
| Key Conflict Data | Status (as of March 3, 2026) |
| U.S./Israeli Operation | Codenamed “Epic Fury” / “Roaring Lion” |
| Confirmed Casualties | 555+ (Per Iranian Red Crescent) |
| Strategic Impact | Strait of Hormuz closed to shipping |
| Diplomatic Status | UN Security Council emergency session pending |
The White House has maintained that the strikes are “major combat operations” intended to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities and facilitate regime change. However, the high civilian toll in Minab has prompted a swift backlash from global leaders and humanitarian agencies.
What’s Next
The UN Security Council is expected to meet later this week to discuss the mounting civilian casualties. Meanwhile, Iranian forces have vowed “no leniency,” continuing to launch retaliatory drone and missile strikes against U.S. assets in the Persian Gulf. As the search for bodies under the rubble in Minab continues, the incident stands as the deadliest single event of the war to date.
