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People and relief forces work following an Israeli strike on a school in Minab, Iran, February 28, 2026. Abbas Zakeri/Mehr News/WANA (West Asia News Agency) PHOTO: REUTERS
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep concern over the deadly toll the ongoing military escalation in Iran is taking on children, saying around 180 children are believed to have been killed and many more injured.
In a statement, UNICEF said 168 girls were killed in a strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ primary school in Minab, southern Iran, on February 28, while classes were in session.
Reports indicate that most of the victims were schoolchildren between the ages of seven and 12. They add that 12 other children were killed in other schools across five locations in Iran.
The latest escalation began last week after the United States and Israel launched pre-emptive strikes on targets in Iran, triggering a sharp deterioration in regional tensions. These attacks follow the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Since then, the conflict has spread across multiple fronts in the Gulf region, with Iran promising retaliation and warning of wider consequences.
Among the deadliest incidents was the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ primary school in Minab, which UNICEF said was one of the deadliest attacks on a school in the conflict so far and drew widespread condemnation from humanitarian organizations.
“These child victims are a stark reminder of the brutality of war and violence against children, which has affected families and communities for generations,” UNICEF said.
The organization stressed that children and schools are protected by international humanitarian law and must remain safe places.
According to UNICEF, at least 20 schools and 10 hospitals have been damaged during ongoing strikes in the region, disrupting children’s access to education and essential health services.
“UNICEF urgently calls on all parties to respect their obligations under international law and ensure the protection of civilians,” the statement said.
The agency added that the lives and well-being of children must always be protected by international humanitarian law and said it was closely monitoring the situation and stood ready to support humanitarian efforts to help children and families affected by the escalating violence.
