Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency reported that missiles fired by the United States and Israel struck two schools in the town of Parand, located southwest of Tehran.
Images released by the agency showed damaged classrooms, broken walls and debris scattered across the area. According to the report, several nearby residential buildings were also affected during the strike.
The latest attack comes only days after what Iran described as a US Israeli strike on a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab. Iranian officials said the earlier attack killed 165 people, including many young students and school staff.
Authorities stated that most of the victims were girls between the ages of seven and 12. At least 95 other people were injured in the incident, which shocked communities across Iran.
Read more: US F-15 fighter jet shot down by Iran in southern region
Photos and videos of the destruction quickly spread across social media, drawing strong reactions from many users. Following the criticism, both US and Israeli authorities attempted to distance themselves from the strike.
The United States said it was not aware that a school had been hit. Some Israeli sources claimed the location was “part of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps base”.
However, an investigation by Al Jazeera’s digital investigations unit found that the school was clearly separate from a nearby military site for more than 10 years.
The investigation also raised serious concerns about the accuracy of the intelligence used before the bombing and whether the target had been properly identified.
Reacting to the earlier Minab attack, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi strongly criticised the strikes and said, “This is how ‘rescue’ promised by Mr Trump looks in reality. From Gaza to Minab, innocents murdered in cold blood,”.
The repeated attacks have increased tension in the region. Civilian sites being hit has caused global concern. Conflicting statements from different sides have created confusion.Investigations may reveal whether intelligence mistakes were made.
