Iran holds funeral for children killed in school missile attack

Iran conducted a funeral procession on Wednesday, October 22nd, for the remains of children who perished on the first day of the war in a missile strike on a school in Minab, southern Iran. State news channel IRINN reported that 68 sets of remains, belonging to 34 children previously buried, were recently recovered from the rubble. This event follows a larger funeral held on March 3rd for victims of the February 28th bombing, which drew thousands of Iranians. The Iranian Red Crescent and other domestic media outlets released images of the newly discovered remains, referring to the victims as "martyrs" of the Minab school. An initial internal US military investigation, reported by Reuters on March 5th, suggested that US forces were likely responsible for the attack, which Iranian officials claim killed over 175 children and teachers. The Pentagon has expanded its investigation but has not confirmed these preliminary findings. In June, the head of US Central Command described the investigation into the attack on the girls' school, situated on an active Iranian cruise missile base, as complex but nearing completion. During a G7 press conference in Evian-les-Bains, France, a month prior, US President Donald Trump stated that the school was not intentionally targeted and that errors occur in warfare, adding that the matter was under investigation. Trump had initially, and without evidence, blamed Iran for the attack but has since maintained he lacks sufficient information and will await investigation results.