A United Nations inquiry has begun examining a deadly attack on Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab, Iran, which killed 168 children, mostly girls, on the first day of U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in the country.
The strike reportedly involved two missiles in quick succession, according to Iranian officials speaking in Geneva on Monday. The UN mission is treating the incident with urgency, emphasizing the need for an independent and credible investigation.
Early Findings and Ongoing Probe
Max du Plessis, a member of the U.N. Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, told reporters that the investigation is at an early stage but has received credible reports supporting Iran’s death toll.
Preliminary findings reported by U.S. military investigators suggest that U.S. forces may have been responsible, though no final conclusion has been reached. The Pentagon has elevated the probe to ensure thorough review.
Potential Historical Significance
If U.S. responsibility is confirmed, this strike would rank among the deadliest incidents involving civilian casualties in decades of U.S. military operations in the Middle East.
Du Plessis stressed the critical importance of an independent outcome for such a catastrophic loss of innocent lives, highlighting the broader human cost of the ongoing conflict.
