Iran Holds Mass Funeral for 165 Schoolgirls Killed in Israeli Strike

Thousands mourn in Minab as 165 schoolgirls killed in the Shajareh Tayyebeh school by Israeli airstrike are laid to rest.

In one of the most heart-wrenching displays of national grief in decades, the southern city of Minab came to a standstill on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Thousands of mourners gathered for the mass funeral of 165 schoolgirls and staff killed during a missile strike on the (The Good Tree) elementary school.

The tragedy, which occurred on the opening day of the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, has become a rallying cry for the nation as it grapples with the recent assassination of its Supreme Leader.

The Massacre at “The Good Tree”

The strike took place on Saturday morning, February 28, while classes were in full session. Witnesses describe a “hellscape” of falling concrete and smoke as the elementary school—located just 600 meters from an IRGC naval base—was reduced to rubble.

• The Toll: While local prosecutor Taheri confirmed 165 deaths, the Iranian Red Crescent warns that the final count could reach 180 as recovery efforts conclude.
• The Victims: Most of the deceased were girls aged between 7 and 12. As of today, 99 students have been identified, while 69 remain unidentified, requiring families to provide DNA samples for forensic confirmation.
• The Strike: Iranian officials allege a “direct hit” by a precision-guided munition, while US Central Command (CENTCOM) maintains it is “reviewing reports of civilian harm.”

Funeral Data: The Minab Massacre

“Death to the Child Killers”: The Ceremony

The funeral ceremony was held in Minab’s central public square, where rows of small, flag-draped coffins stretched as far as the eye could see. The air was thick with the scent of rosewater and the sound of rhythmic chanting.

“They weren’t soldiers. They were children with backpacks full of dreams,” shouted Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, to the weeping crowd. “This is not war; this is the most bitter news in our history.”

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attended the ceremony alongside local officials, vowing that the “blood of these innocents” would ensure the downfall of the “aggressor regimes.” Women in black chadors were seen clutching photographs of their daughters, with one mother telling state television, “The Americans say they are here to help us, but they only brought us coffins.”

International Outcry and Denials

The strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh school has triggered a wave of international condemnation, even as the military details remain contested.

• Malala Yousafzai: The Nobel laureate issued a statement calling the attack a “brutal violation of the right to education” and demanding an independent war crimes investigation.
• UNESCO: Formally condemned the “deliberate targeting of an educational institution.”
• US & Israel: Both nations have officially denied deliberate targeting of the school. Israeli military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani stated they were “not aware” of any operations in that specific residential area, suggesting the possibility of a “failed interceptor” or secondary explosion—claims the Iranian government has dismissed as “absurd.”