US-Israeli Aggression Against Iran: Children Massacre in Minab, and Tehran Announces the Beginning of a Response That Will Change the Equation

In a dangerous escalation that threatens to widen the circle of confrontation in the region, the United States and Israel launched a wide-scale military attack this morning, Saturday, targeting several Iranian provinces. Tehran described the attack as a blatant violation of international law and a direct assault on the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic.

The attacks, which targeted multiple locations in the capital, Tehran, and several other Iranian cities, resulted in civilian casualties, including children. This prompted a wave of official condemnations and urgent diplomatic action. Iran affirmed that its response to this aggression would not be delayed and that all defensive options were on the table to protect the country.

Multiple Strikes and Explosions in Several Provinces

According to Iranian media sources, the US-Israeli aggression targeted military and administrative facilities and sites within several cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Lorestan, Karaj, Kermanshah, and Tabriz, where successive explosions were heard from the early morning hours.

The Fars News Agency reported that missiles fell in areas in the center of the capital, including Daneshgah Street and the Jomhouri district. The Iranian Civil Aviation Organization announced the closure of the entire country’s airspace until further notice as a precautionary measure.

Iranian hospitals were placed on high alert, with ambulance and emergency teams dispatched to the targeted sites in Tehran and several other provinces, as rescue operations for the victims continued.

Meanwhile, sirens wailed in the occupied Palestinian territories, and the Israeli occupation authorities announced the closure of schools, the suspension of public gatherings, and the diversion of flights to foreign airports, indicating the state of alert that accompanied the attack.

The Minab School Massacre: A Major Humanitarian Shock
The most serious consequence of the aggression was the targeting of a girls’ primary school in the city of Minab in Hormozgan Province, southern Iran, an attack that caused widespread shock both inside and outside the country.

According to official figures, the attack resulted in the deaths of dozens of schoolgirls. Iranian sources confirmed the deaths of 85 students and teachers in an initial count, in addition to dozens of injuries. The Ministry of Education also indicated that there were casualties in other schools.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the attack as an “inhumane act and a new, brutal crime,” emphasizing that targeting innocent children reveals the true nature of the aggression.

Pezeshkian stated that the massacre at the Shajarat-e Tayebah school represents a new dark chapter in the record of crimes committed against the Iranian people. He stressed that the children’s blood will not be shed in vain and that Iran will continue to defend its people and its sovereignty.

The Iranian president also directed all relief and medical agencies to mobilize their resources to provide urgent support to the wounded and care for the families of the martyrs, affirming that this tragedy has deeply saddened the hearts of Iranians and all freedom-loving people worldwide.

Extensive Diplomatic Moves and Messages to Regional Countries

In parallel with the developments on the ground, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi initiated a series of intensive contacts with the foreign ministers of regional countries to explain the dimensions and repercussions of the aggression.

Araqchi emphasized that the American-Zionist attack constitutes a clear violation of the UN Charter and a crime against international peace and security, stressing that Iran will exercise its legitimate right to self-defense under international law.

He also called on regional countries not to allow their territories or facilities to be used to carry out any acts of aggression against Iran, warning that any party participating in this aggression will bear direct responsibility for its consequences.

Letter to the Security Council and Warnings of Regional Escalation

In an official letter to the UN Security Council, the Iranian Foreign Minister affirmed that his country will continue to exercise its right to self-defense resolutely until the aggression ceases completely and unconditionally.

He indicated that the bases and military installations of the parties involved in the attack will be considered legitimate military targets within the framework of the Iranian response.

For his part, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei stressed that any location in the region used to carry out operations against Iran would be considered a legitimate target, emphasizing that what had transpired represented a true test for the international community and the credibility of international institutions.

Initial Toll and Widening Scope of Targeting
In a later development, the Iranian Red Crescent Society announced that the death toll from the aggression had risen to more than 200 martyrs and 747 wounded, with 115 sites in 24 provinces targeted since the start of the attacks.

The Society confirmed that more than 200 rescue and relief teams were working in the affected areas to recover victims and provide first aid to the injured, while search operations continued under the rubble.

Reports also indicated that a number of athletes, including female volleyball players, were among the martyrs in an airstrike that targeted a sports hall in the south of the country.

Iranian Response and Targeting of Enemy Sites

In response, Iranian sources announced that the armed forces had begun retaliating against the aggression by targeting sites belonging to the Zionist entity and key American bases in the region. This move indicates that the confrontation has entered a new phase that could have far-reaching consequences for the security and stability of the region.

Observers believe that the American-Zionist aggression against Iran constitutes a dangerous turning point in the course of regional tensions, especially as it comes amidst ongoing political negotiations. This could pave the way for a wider escalation if the military operations continue.