US and Israeli airstrikes killed at least 201 people and injured 747 across Iran on Saturday, with dozens of young girls among the victims in a devastating hit on an elementary school.
Iran’s Red Crescent Society confirmed the toll from attacks that struck 24 of the country’s 31 provinces.
The strikes, which began in the morning on the first day of the Iranian work week, triggered widespread panic in Tehran and other cities.
Residents rushed to shelter children, while families searched desperately for loved ones amid the chaos.
The most heartbreaking loss came in Minab, southern Hormozgan province, where a missile struck Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school during classes.
Iranian state media and judiciary officials reported that at least 85 people died there – nearly all young girls aged between 7 and 12 – with dozens more injured or trapped under rubble.
Footage from the scene showed smoke rising from the ruined building, scattered schoolbooks, and distraught parents hurrying to the site.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the strike as a “barbaric act” that stained the aggressors’ record with innocent blood.
The US President Donald Trump described the operation as “major combat operations” aimed at destroying Iran’s missile capabilities and ultimately toppling the regime.
He urged Iranians to seize the moment for freedom once the strikes end.
Israeli leaders echoed the goal of regime change, insisting the attacks targeted military and leadership sites.
Iran struck back swiftly. Its forces launched missiles at Israel and US bases in the Gulf region, including sites in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE.
Reports indicated damage in northern Israel, though casualties remained light there.
Airspace closures followed, and several airlines suspended flights to the Middle East.World reactions split sharply.
Some leaders called for immediate de-escalation through dialogue, while others condemned or supported the strikes depending on alliances.
In Tehran, fear mixed with anger as people sheltered and mourned.
The full human cost continues to emerge, but Saturday’s events have already marked one of the deadliest days in the escalating conflict, with ordinary families – especially schoolchildren – paying the heaviest price.
