Tehran, Iran – March 2, 2026 – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday strongly denounced joint US-Israeli airstrikes that reportedly targeted hospitals and schools in Iran, describing the attacks as a "blatant violation" of humanitarian principles and vowing that his country would not remain silent or submit to what he termed criminal acts.
In a post on the social media platform X, Pezeshkian highlighted the profound human impact of the strikes. “Attacks on hospitals strike at life itself. Attacks on schools target a nation's future. Targeting patients and children blatantly violates humanitarian principles,” he wrote. “The world must condemn it. I stand with my grieving nation. Iran will not remain silent or yield to these crimes.”
The statement came amid escalating reports of civilian casualties from the ongoing military campaign launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, 2026. The operation, which has involved extensive airstrikes on Iranian military, leadership, nuclear-related, and missile infrastructure sites, has drawn sharp international scrutiny over alleged impacts on civilian facilities.
Iranian authorities have specifically cited a devastating strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school in Minab city, Hormozgan province, southern Iran, on Saturday morning—the opening day of the campaign. According to Iranian officials, including statements from the Red Crescent and state media, the attack killed at least 165 people, the majority of whom were schoolchildren, teachers, and parents. Recovery operations at the site concluded on Monday, with 96 others reported injured, many of them students. The school was reportedly struck during class hours, with parents arriving to collect children at the time of the incident.
The Minab school tragedy has been one of the most publicized civilian incidents, with Iranian sources claiming the facility was hit in broad daylight. US Central Command (CENTCOM) has stated it is investigating reports of the strike and civilian casualties, while Israeli officials have indicated they are "not aware" of operations directly targeting the school. Some reports suggest the school was located near an IRGC naval or missile facility, potentially making it collateral in a targeted military strike, though Iranian authorities maintain it was a deliberate attack on civilians.
Additionally, Pezeshkian referenced strikes on medical facilities, including an attack on Tehran's Gandhi Hospital on Sunday. Iranian lawmakers and health officials have reported damage to at least five hospitals and medical centers across the country during the campaign, though specific casualty figures from these incidents remain unconfirmed in independent sources.
The broader death toll from US-Israeli strikes since Saturday stands at least 555, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, with attacks reported across more than 130 cities and multiple provinces. Iranian state media has emphasized civilian suffering, including children and patients, in its coverage.
Pezeshkian's condemnation aligns with Iran's official narrative framing the campaign as an aggressive war of aggression, breaching international humanitarian law and the UN Charter. The president, who serves on a temporary leadership council alongside Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei and cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has used the platform to rally domestic support and appeal for global condemnation.
Iran has responded to the initial strikes with retaliatory missile and drone barrages targeting US military assets in the Gulf region—including bases in Bahrain, the UAE, and Kuwait—as well as Israeli territory. The IRGC has claimed successful hits on US facilities, with satellite imagery confirming damage at sites like the Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. Hezbollah in Lebanon has also engaged, launching attacks on Israel in solidarity.
President Donald Trump has described Operation Epic Fury as progressing ahead of schedule, projecting a duration of four to five weeks or longer if needed to destroy Iran's missile capabilities, navy, and nuclear ambitions. He has acknowledged US casualties, including four service members killed in regional attacks.
The conflict has prompted urgent international calls for de-escalation, with Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday expressing sorrow over civilian suffering in Iran and pledging intensified diplomacy for a ceasefire. UN agencies and human rights groups have expressed alarm over reported civilian strikes, urging independent investigations.
As the war enters its fifth day, military exchanges continue, with risks of further civilian harm and regional spillover. Pezeshkian's statement underscores Iran's resolve to defend its sovereignty while highlighting the humanitarian crisis, as both sides press their military objectives amid mounting losses on all fronts.
