Israeli strike hits Girls’ School in Southern Iran, dozens feared dead

An Israeli airstrike has hit an elementary girls’ school in Minab, located in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, killing at least 51 people.

This is according to Iranian state media reports on Saturday.

The incident under the growing civilian toll following large-scale bombardments carried out by Israel and the United States against Iranian targets.

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**What they are saying **

Iran’s state-affiliated Mehr News Agency reported that at least two students were killed in a separate Israeli strike on a school east of Tehran.

Citing a provincial official, Iranian broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) confirmed that the Minab school was struck during attacks earlier in the day.

Authorities have yet to release further details on casualties or the extent of the damage.

**Backstory **

The strikes follow a joint military operation launched early Saturday by the United States and Israel, which they described as targeting perceived security threats from Iran.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former US President Donald Trump released separate video statements defending the action and suggesting broader objectives that could include political change in Tehran.
• Iran condemned the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty and vowed retaliation.
• The escalation comes amid diplomatic efforts previously mediated by Oman, including a recent round of nuclear talks held in Geneva on Thursday.

**More insights **

Iran has since launched retaliatory missile strikes targeting US military installations across the Middle East.

A reported direct hit affected a service facility linked to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, according to Bahraini authorities.

Explosions were reported across Tehran and other Iranian cities in the hours following the initial strikes, as tensions continued to rise across the region.

**What you should know **

Despite the military escalation, oil markets showed limited reaction at the end of the week.

Brent crude futures dipped 5 cents to $70.70 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell 1 cent to $65.20.

For the week, Brent was down 1.8%, and WTI declined by about 2.2%, reflecting ongoing nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran that had earlier eased supply concerns before the latest hostilities.