Iran school destroyed in war's opening hours still a ruin

Six months after a devastating strike on the Shajareh Tayebeh primary school in Minab, Iran, the building lies in ruins, a stark reminder of the war's opening hours. Masoumeh Zakeri, a mother who lost her nine-year-old daughter Motahreh, recounted the last night she saw her child alive, excitedly planning for holidays and shopping.

“

I never saw her again. (That was) the last time.

Motahreh was among at least 155 people killed, most of them children, in what Iran reports as the deadliest strike yet. Zakeri identified her daughter only by her earrings and bracelet after the attack. The school, now surrounded by portraits of the young victims and fluttering Iranian flags, stands as a testament to the tragedy.

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She was very loving, cheerful and really energetic.

While Iran alleges the attack involved US Tomahawk missiles, neither the United States nor Israel has officially claimed responsibility. However, rights groups like Amnesty International have blamed the US, and The New York Times has reported the school was hit by a US cruise missile. Diplomatic efforts to end the war have stalled since an April ceasefire, leaving the conflict's consequences unresolved.

“

Now our house is completely quiet.

Yaghoub Yazdanpanah, a Persian literature teacher, described the frantic calls from his wife and relatives as strikes pounded Tehran and the supreme leader's compound. The reality of the attack on his six-year-old daughter Fatemeh's school only hit him when he witnessed the horrific aftermath, with men gathering scattered human remains.

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I just couldn't believe it.