The United Nations on March 3 urgently called for civilian protection amid growing violence and instability in the Middle East—and particularly in regard to the ongoing US and Israeli military operations against Iran. The UN urged a thorough investigation into a deadly strike on a girls' school in Iran, and requested the disclosure of all relevant information.

The Feb. 28 attack in the southern coastal city of Minab reportedly killed 168 people. According to Iran's Minister of Education Alireza Kazemi, the overwhelming majority of the slain were schoolgirls aged seven to 12. The strike came on the first day of coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes officially targeting Iranian infrastructure and military facilities.

Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, described the attack as "absolutely horrific," adding that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk was "deeply shocked" and has called for a "prompt, impartial and thorough investigation."

Shamdasani stressed that the "onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it," and "make public the findings and to ensure accountability and redress for the victims." If attacks were found to be directed against civilians or civilian objects or to be indiscriminate, they would constitute "serious violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes."

Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Ali Bahreini, accused the US and Israel of deliberately attacking the school. He further stated that similar civilian strikes occurred on the same day in other locations, including eastern Tehran and Abyek in Qazvin province.

Neither the US nor Israel has confirmed responsibility for the school attack. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Monday that US forces "would not deliberately target a school." Israeli officials said they were reviewing reports of the incident.

The widening conflict began when the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets Feb. 28, cutting short ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear program. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and US allies across the region. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the first day of airstrikes .

According to UN officials, at least 12 countries have been affected, while Iran's Red Crescent Society has counted 787 deaths since the initial strikes.

The conflict has also spread to Lebanon as Hezbollah fired missiles and drones into Israel, triggering Israeli strikes and the displacement of civilians. The UN Refugee Agency estimates that about 30,000 people have sought protection in shelters in Lebanon, while disruptions in key shipping routes and the temporary closure of Gaza crossings are complicating humanitarian aid deliveries.

When the airstrikes began, Türk deplored both the strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliation, urging all parties to respect international humanitarian law. "The protection of civilians is paramount," he said, calling for immediate de-escalation and a return to the "negotiating table" to prevent "further senseless civilian deaths and destruction on a potentially unimaginable scale."

Malala Yousafzai, UN Messenger of Peace and Nobel Peace Laureate, also condemned the school attack, likewise calling for all parties to "uphold their obligations under international law to protect civilians and safeguard schools."

From JURIST, March 4. Used with permission.