'At least 51 people killed in Israeli attack on school in southern Iran'

Published : Saturday, 28 February, 2026 at 6:46 PM

Observer Online Report

The number of people killed in Israeli attack on the girls’ elementary school in Iran’s southern city of Minab has risen to 51, with 60 others injured, according the IRNA news agency.

Mohammad Radmehr, a city official, was quoted by the agency as saying that Israel “directly attacked” the school this morning.

He said 170 students were in the facility when the strike happened, so there was a possibility that the death toll would rise again as the rescue operation was still under way.

Iran deputy foreign minister says timing of attacks ‘deeply troubling’

Hamid Ghanbari has told Al Jazeera that the timing of US, Israeli strikes on Iran during a new round of nuclear talks was “deeply troubling”.

Such timing “breaks trust and raises serious doubt about the commitment to peaceful solution,” Ghanbari said in an interview with Al Jazeera English.

The deputy foreign minister added that Iran has the right to defend itself and regrets any humanitarian loss caused by the current military escalation.

Iranian foreign minister says armed forces ‘will teach aggressors lesson they deserve’

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has released a defiant message on social media.

“Netanyahu and Trump’s war on Iran is wholly unprovoked, illegal, and illegitimate,” he said, adding “Trump has turned ‘America First’ into ‘Israel First’ – which always means ‘America Last’.”

Araghchi added: “Our Powerful Armed Forces are prepared for this day and will teach the aggressors the lesson they deserve.”

His message included a screenshot of a 2012 tweet by Trump saying: “Now that Obama’s poll numbers are in tailspin – watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate.”

UN urges all parties to ‘see reason’

The United Nations’ rights chief deplored Saturday’s strikes in the Middle East and urged all parties to return to negotiations, saying attacks would only result in “death, destruction and human misery”.

“I deplore the military strikes across Iran this morning by Israel and the United States of America, and the subsequent retaliatory strikes by Iran,” Volker Turk said in a statement.

“As always, in any armed conflict, it is civilians who end up paying the ultimate price.

Turk said missiles and bombs were “not the way to resolve differences” but will only “result in death, destruction and human misery”.

“To avert these terrible consequences for civilians, I call for restraint and implore all parties to see reason, to de-escalate, and for a return to the negotiating table where they had been actively seeking a solution only hours earlier,” he said.

Dubai airport suspends all flight operations

Dubai airport has suspended all flight operations until further notice.

Explosions periodically rock Qatar as air defences intercept Iranian missiles

Explosions continue to be heard periodically in Qatar’s capital as the air defence continues to intercept Iranian missiles.

This latest series of blasts comes after multiple missiles were fired towards Qatar and other Gulf states.

Smoke was seen billowing from a residential area on the outskirts of the capital caused by falling debris of an intercepted missile.

Israel bans public gatherings, shuts schools

Israel has banned ⁠public gatherings, shut schools ⁠and workplaces and moved hospital patients to underground facilities.

Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a ⁠state of emergency across the country, warning the public of Iranian missile and drone attacks.

The police urged against non-essential travel to allow security and emergency vehicles to move freely.

How has Iran responded?

Shortly after the US and Israel struck Iran, explosions were heard in northern Israel as it sought to shoot down incoming Iranian missiles.

The detonations were heard soon after the Israeli army announced it was deploying air defence systems to counter the Iranian barrage.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the continuing assault.

Blasts were also reported in several Gulf Arab countries hosting US military forces, including Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain.

Iran’s Fars News Agency stated that Tehran launched strikes on military installations in each of those states, naming Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and the US Navy 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain among the targets.

UAE condemns Iranian strikes, warns of ‘grave consequences’

The UAE has condemned Iranian missile attacks that killed a Pakistani national earlier, warning of “grave consequences” if these violations continue.

The civilian was killed after being struck by falling debris, according to the Defence Ministry.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said any attack on Gulf nations was “an attack on the security and stability of the entire region”.

It called for restraint and for a path towards a diplomatic solution.

Countries react to Israeli, US attacks on Iran

Belgium: “The Iranian people must not pay the price for their government’s choices,” Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said. “We deeply regret that diplomatic efforts could not lead earlier to a negotiated solution.”

Norway: “The attack is ⁠described by Israel as a preventive strike, but ⁠it is not in line with international law,” Foreign Minister Espen Barth said. “Preventive attacks require an immediately imminent threat.”

Pakistan: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar “strongly condemned the unwarranted attacks against Iran and called for an immediate halt to escalation through urgent resumption of diplomacy to achieve a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the crisis”.