Iran Accuses US and Israel of Genocide in School Attacks

Iran's Foreign Ministry has accused the United States and Israel of genocide over the "deliberate" targeting of schools and educational facilities in strikes on the country. Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated on X that more than 600 schools have been hit in US-Israeli attacks over the past month, including the Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab, where over 160 children were killed. Baqaei emphasized that this is not an isolated incident but part of a systematic pattern of illegal warfare, amounting to genocide given the hostile rhetoric from US and Israeli officials.

The offensive began on February 28 with massive strikes on urban centers, including the bombing of the Minab school, which resulted in at least 175 deaths. Initially, US and Israeli officials offered conflicting denials, but the Pentagon has opened an investigation, with reports indicating the use of outdated targeting data that misidentified the school as a military compound. On the same day, a strike in Lamerd using a Precision Strike Missile killed at least 21 people.

International reactions have included condemnation from Russia, Italy, and Spain, but the UN Human Rights Council and Security Council failed to adopt formal resolutions. The air offensive, ongoing for over a month, has killed more than 1,340 people according to official figures, escalating regional tensions.