Iran has accused the United States and Israel of striking an elementary school in Tehran, an allegation that has not been independently verified and which is likely to add to political pressure on the UK government over what it calls “limited defensive” support for US operations.
Esmail Baghaei, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said in a post on X that “another elementary school” near Niloufar Square in Tehran had been targeted by what he described as “the American/Israeli aggressors”. He identified the site as Shahid Hamedani School.
Baghaei shared video footage that appears to show damage inside classrooms, including blown-out windows and debris across floors and desks. He did not provide information on casualties, and the footage on its own does not establish when the damage occurred or who was responsible.
There was no immediate public confirmation from US or Israeli authorities about a strike on a school at that location. Earlier in the week, US and Israeli officials cited by Iran International denied intentionally targeting schools or civilian infrastructure, as allegations about damage to education sites have become a central element of Iranian messaging about the campaign.
Niloufar Square has been referenced in separate reporting as an area that has suffered heavy damage in recent strikes. Australia’s ABC, citing reporting and imagery sources and an eyewitness account, described widespread destruction around the square after attacks in the vicinity of a police station, though such accounts are difficult to corroborate independently amid restricted access and communications disruption.
The allegation comes against the backdrop of an expanding and high-tempo strike campaign. The Associated Press has reported that US and Israeli strikes have widened beyond nuclear-linked sites to broader target sets, and that US Central Command has said it has hit more than 2,000 targets in under a week. Independent assessments of casualties have been limited, with AP noting that totals are difficult to verify; it cited an Iranian government agency figure of at least 1,230 killed.
Claims involving strikes on schools have been especially contentious. Iranian state media previously reported that a girls’ school in Minab, in southeastern Iran, was hit with significant loss of life, while competing accounts have circulated over whether any protected sites were being used for military purposes, an issue that can affect how international humanitarian law is applied but which remains disputed and hard to evidence publicly in real time.
In the UK, the Tehran school allegation is likely to sharpen scrutiny of government policy after ministers sought to draw a distinction between not joining “offensive” strikes and allowing certain forms of support framed as defensive. In an oral statement to the House of Commons on 2 March, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The United Kingdom was not involved in the initial US and Israeli strikes on Iran.” He also said bases in Cyprus had not been used for US offensive strikes, and disclosed that a drone had struck within 800 yards of personnel at RAF Akrotiri without causing casualties.
The government has published a summary of its legal position arguing that UK actions fall within self-defence and collective self-defence, including facilitating what it called “specific and limited defensive action” against Iranian missile facilities linked to regional attacks. Opposition MPs and some backbenchers have questioned how “defensive” is being defined in practice, and whether UK-enabled operations could expose Britain to legal and political fallout if linked to civilian harm.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has meanwhile emphasised consular support, saying the government’s crisis centre is operating around the clock and that officials are working with airlines and other governments amid airspace disruption. The Foreign Office has said it is arranging charter flight options from Oman for British nationals, prioritising vulnerable people where possible.
Internationally, the United Nations has warned of escalation risks. AP reported that UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned that events could spiral beyond control, while also condemning retaliation and urging restraint, as diplomatic efforts have struggled to contain the conflict.
For now, the Iranian claim about Shahid Hamedani School remains unverified. Journalistic verification would typically require geolocation of the footage, corroboration from additional images or witnesses, and strike attribution evidence such as official operational reporting, munition remnants or forensic assessment, much of which is not readily available during active hostilities.