A U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran entered its second day on Sunday, with reports emerging of a strike on a girls’ school in the southern Iranian city of Minab resulting in at least 85 deaths, according to Iranian state media.
The deaths were reported by Mizan Online, the news website of the Iranian judiciary, which cited local prosecutor’s office officials. “The number of martyrs in the Minab girls’ school has risen to 85,” the report stated, according to a translation by CNN.
The operation follows a period of heightened tensions and comes after the deaths of U.S. Service members, prompting vows of retaliation from former President Donald Trump. Trump has pledged to “avenge” the deaths and stated that combat operations are continuing, according to CNBC. He warned that further casualties are possible, as reported by The Guardian.
The strikes are occurring as the U.S. And Israel confront Iran’s military capabilities. Al Jazeera reported on Iran’s arsenal, which includes ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, and a naval force. The extent to which these weapons have been deployed in response to the attacks remains unclear.
The U.S. Military announced on Saturday that the headquarters of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had been destroyed, according to a statement released from Florida by the U.S. Military, as reported by the Associated Press. The IRGC, a powerful and influential organization within Iran, no longer has a headquarters, the statement said.
The conflict is too impacting civilian travel. A travel agency in Hong Kong has cancelled all Middle East tours until next Tuesday (March 10th) after reports of fighting spread across the region, according to on.cc. Approximately 20 Hong Kong residents are currently in Dubai, and the agency is advising them to remain in their hotels, following guidance from local authorities.
Elsewhere in the region, the Dubai’s Burj Al-Arab hotel was reportedly struck by an Iranian drone, causing a fire, according to am730. The Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport were also targeted in drone attacks, resulting in one Asian citizen’s death and seven injuries. A fire also broke out near the Fairmont The Palm hotel on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah island.
In a separate development, a Hong Kong building’s elevator lobby has become the site of creatively written notices in poetic form, offering reminders about safety and building regulations, according to am730. The notices, which cover topics such as dropping objects from height, fire safety, and dripping air conditioners, have been praised online for their ingenuity.