Investigative Report: Minab Tragedy – Why Dozens of Students Were Targeted Near an IRGC Base?

In the early hours of joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory, the non-profit Shajareh Taybeh Elementary and Preschool in Minab, Hormozgan province, was hit by missiles.

The attack killed at least 165 to 175 people, including over 110 children aged 7 to 12, teachers, and school staff, and injured around 96 others, marking one of the deadliest civilian incidents of the conflict.

Shajareh Taybeh School is located northeast of the Seyyed al-Shohada Cultural Complex of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and adjacent to naval facilities associated with the IRGC, including the Shahid Absalon Clinic. Satellite imagery shows that the school building was part of the IRGC naval base until 2013–2016. Afterwards, it was separated with walls and fences, the yard was painted with colorful murals, playgrounds were installed, and the site was fully converted for educational use.

Despite its civilian designation, the school’s close proximity to military targets caused it to be hit during attacks on IRGC bases. Independent investigations by reputable international media confirm that the missile used was a U.S.-made Tomahawk (BGM-109), deployed only by American forces in this conflict. Videos show multiple strikes—likely three closely spaced missiles—completely destroying parts of the school. Initial U.S. investigations suggest the attack resulted from misidentification and stale intelligence, which mistakenly treated the school as part of the IRGC base.

The Main Factor: IRGC’s Militarization Policy

The IRGC’s practice of placing military facilities within residential areas and near schools effectively turns civilians—especially children—into human shields. This extensive militarization policy, ongoing for years across Iranian cities, dramatically increases the risk of such tragedies.

Iranian authorities have presented the school as entirely non-profit and educational, with no evidence of military use. Yet its proximity to IRGC facilities made it vulnerable to attack. The incident highlights Tehran’s mismanagement and negligence, including:

• Prioritizing the expansion of military bases in urban areas instead of relocating them to remote regions.
• Failing to evacuate schools in time despite the start of attacks.
• Wasting national resources on missile cities and high-risk installations rather than investing in real civilian safety and fully separating military sites from populated areas.

Human rights observers have described this as a potential war crime and called for independent international investigations. Analysts also stress that by placing military targets among civilians, the IRGC bears primary responsibility for endangering thousands of Iranian children.

No party has claimed direct responsibility yet, but technical evidence strongly points to an American strike on the adjacent IRGC base, which tragically affected the school.