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An image of a girls’ elementary school hit by an airstrike on Saturday in Minab, Iran posted by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on X.
Story by Mahmoud Aslan
MINAB and TEHRAN, IRAN—Mohammed Shariatmadar stood outside the wreckage of the Shajareh Tayyiba girls’ elementary school in Minab, in southern Iran on Saturday morning, unable to process what he was seeing. His six year-old daughter, Sara, a second grade student, was among dozens of girls killed when the school was bombed in the first few hours of the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Iran.
In the immediate aftermath of the strike he remained standing in the shade of a cracked wall, staring at the ground and ignoring the commotion around him. He didn’t approach the building, which had been sealed off, but he didn’t move away either. His hands knotted together, then separated, then knotted again, in a repeated motion. Every time a paramedic emerged or an ambulance moved, he quickly raised his head, then returned to staring at the ground. He asked no one a direct question. He was only waiting for his daughter’s name to be called.
When families were finally directed to a gathering point to receive the bodies of their children, he slowly moved forward. When asked if he needed help, he shook his head silently and waited for his daughter’s body to be brought out.
“I cannot understand how a place where innocent children learn can be bombed like this,” Shariatmadar told Drop Site. “We are talking about small children who knew nothing of politics or wars. And yet they are the ones paying the highest price.”
Some 170 students were inside the building attending morning classes when the missile struck. At least 108 people were killed, according to the public prosecutor’s office in Minab, many of them schoolgirls between seven and 12 years old.
It was unclear if it was a U.S. or Israeli strike. On Saturday, CENTCOM’s spokesperson said they were “looking into” the reports.
“My heart is broken,” Shariatmadar said. “For Sara and for all the children we lost today. I want the world to know that the children are the real victims. Every day that passes without a solution increases the pain and the suffering for the families and for the children alike.”
Minab sits far from Tehran, but the school was adjacent to a naval base belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Hormozgan province, where the small city of Minab is located, borders the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically sensitive waterways.
A resident of Minab, who spoke to Drop Site on the condition of anonymity, said explosions shook the city Saturday morning, sending residents into an immediate panic. Then reports started emerging that the school had been hit.
“Everyone rushed to the school the moment they heard the blasts,” the resident, who spoke to Drop Site on the condition of anonymity, said. “Chaos took over completely. Security forces were trying to push families back, fearing the area would be targeted again.”
The school building was reduced to a massive pile of rubble and dozens of schoolgirls were trapped under the concrete. People began trying to frantically dig them out with their bare hands. Families wandered around in shock, searching for their children amid the wreckage. “The final number of dead reached around half the students in the school,” the resident said.
Fatima al-Zahra Mohammad Ali, a nine-year-old student, was among those killed. “When we arrived at the school, the place was in chaos,” her mother, Amina Ansari, told Drop Site. The girl’s father, Mohammad Ali, who lost his right leg during the Iran-Iraq war, did not want to speak.
“The school itself didn’t know how to handle the situation,” Ansari said. “There was no accurate information about what was happening. Every time we asked someone they said, ‘Be patient until we get the girls out from under the rubble.’” The family did not learn that Fatima had been killed until around 4 p.m., when her body was discovered.
In a statement, President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the “brutal attack by American and Zionist aggressors,” calling it a “barbaric act [that] is another black page in the record of countless crimes committed by the invaders of this land.”
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted an image of the destroyed school on social media. “It was bombed in broad daylight, when packed with young pupils,” Araghchi wrote. “Dozens of innocent children have been murdered at this site alone. These crimes against the Iranian people will not go unanswered.”
“We do not understand the reasons for the U.S. attack on Iran,” he continued in a subsequent post. “Perhaps the U.S. administration was dragged into it. Here is what I do know: Iran will punish those who kill our children.”
Seyyed Ibrahim Mirkhayali, a municipal employee from Bandar Abbas, was also at the school gate. His nine-year-old daughter, Zeinab, a fourth-grade student, was killed in the bombing.
“I was at work when my wife called and told me that the girls’ primary school in Minab had been bombed. I could not process what I was hearing at first. Then I left immediately and drove to the school,” Mirkhayali told Drop Site. When he arrived he found a large crowd of parents standing outside. Some were crying. Others stood in heavy silence.
“The atmosphere was terrifying and catastrophic. The parents were in a deadly silence, filled with fear and dread for their daughters. We did not know who had gotten out and who was still under the rubble,” he said.
He said news seeped out gradually from inside the school as search and rescue operations continued. Every name announced changed the fate of an entire family.
“How long are we going to live like this? Why can’t the United States and Israel reach an agreement with Iran and end this war? What happened is a crime,” he said. “Since the last war we have not lived a stable life in our country because of the United States and Israel.”
The family waited through the afternoon. Near sunset, they were informed that Zeinab was among the dead. “We stayed until her body was brought out from under the rubble,” he said. Her body was largely intact. “But her head was crushed by falling stones from the building. That is what killed her.”
An ambulance took the body to the hospital. The family began the legal process of obtaining a burial permit. “We are waiting for the permits. The burial is expected tomorrow,” he said.
Mirkhayali recounted how Zeinab had memorized the Quran and was preparing to compete in a recitation competition in Tehran in two months. “I had a great dream for my daughter. She was hardworking and outstanding, and she had memorized the book of God. Her participation in the competition was a source of pride for all of us. My dream died with her.”
Iranian state media, citing the Red Crescent, on Saturday evening said at least 201 people had been killed across the country and more than 700 injured.
Iranians gather at Palestine Square carrying Iranian flags, chanting anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans to protest the attacks by the United States and Israel in Tehran, the capital of Iran, on February 28, 2026. Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images.
The scene in Tehran
Several hours after President Donald Trump announced the launch of the war in a taped statement, Iran’s National Security Council issued a statement, assuring residents of Tehran that food supplies were stable but advising those who wished to leave the capital to do so, while urging them to avoid traffic congestion. The council’s reasoning, according to the statement, was to prevent a repeat of the mass flight that occurred during the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran in June, when hundreds of thousands fled the capital to Turkey and to other Iranian cities including Gilan, Qom, and Isfahan, and Israeli strikes on those convoys killed dozens.
By the time the statement was issued, the exodus had already begun. Tehran’s main roads and highways filled with cars. Families loaded luggage onto rooftops or piled it between seats. Horns blared continuously. Passengers shouted into phones trying to reach relatives. Children cried. Women wept openly. Gas stations descended into chaos with growing queues of cars as fuel ran out within minutes at some locations. Nearby shops and small markets were emptied of food, water, and medicine as residents bought whatever they could carry, fearing supply disruptions or further strikes in the hours ahead.
University students from outside Tehran, those studying in the capital but from other provinces joined the flight. Some ran to catch buses. Others drove themselves, laptops and notebooks thrown into bags alongside whatever personal items they could grab.
Not everyone fled. At Palestine Square, one of Tehran’s most politically charged public spaces, scores of Iranians gathered to protest the strikes. They raised Iranian flags and portraits of Supreme Leader Khamenei and former commander Qassem Soleimani. They burned photographs of Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This story was published in collaboration with Egab.
Read Drop Site’s latest on Trump’s regime change war in Iran here.
And our livestream conversation with Ali Abunimah and Hamood Majd:
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The UK is blocking access to Iranian media, in an attempt to prevent British citizens accessing information and narratives that don’t fit into US and Israeli propaganda.
Earlier today, on 28 February, Israel and America attacked Iran in a nakedly colonial attempt to force regime-change.
While UK and other US-aligned media are free to spout US-Israeli talking points, access to Iran’s Tasnim News from UK servers is blocked.
One work around is VPN access and, like magic, the site opens without problems.
Truth is the first casualty of war, as the old saying goes. But this is not ‘fog of war’ – this is a deliberate, democracy-undermining push by the unaccountable UK elite. Their aim is to lull the public into silence and mislead them into supporting an all-out illegal colonial war which denies Iran the legal right to resistance.
Featured image via the Canary
By Skwawkbox
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Caracas, February 28, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – A group of trade unions and political organizations protested outside Venezuela’s Labor Ministry headquarters in Caracas on Thursday to urge salary increases and respect for labor rights.
A crowd of around 100 people held banners expressing multiple demands, including pegging wages to a cost-of-living index.
Eduardo Sánchez, president of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) workers’ union, told reporters that it is urgent to adjust wages and protect working-class rights ahead of announced plans to reform the country’s labor law.
“The workers here today demand an increase in their wages, not through bonuses,” he said. “We are also calling for the repeal of the Onapre and 2792 memoranda,” he added, in reference to policies implemented in 2022 and 2018, respectively, which flattened wage scales and froze a number of collective bargaining rights.
Sánchez also denounced a social media campaign “paid for by the business sector” with the purpose of “demonizing” workers’ benefits and social security.
The groups present at the rally delivered a 17-point petition addressed to Labor Minister Eduardo Piñate.
Venezuela’s monthly minimum wage was set at 130 bolívars (BsD) in March 2022 and has not been adjusted since. At the time, 130 BsD amounted to around US $30 at the time, but with the Venezuelan currency’s devaluation, it is now equivalent to $0.31.
In recent years, with the Venezuelan economy heavily battered by US sanctions, the Nicolás Maduro government has prioritized non-wage bonuses as the main income source for workers and pensioners. Public sector employees have a monthly income floor of $160 from a combined $120 economic war bonus and a $40 food bonus. They are paid in bolívars at the official exchange rate.
Public sector retirees and pensioners receive $70 and $50 economic war bonuses, respectively.
Trade unions have denounced the bonus-over-salary policies for being tailored to private sector interests, since they drastically reduce employer obligations, including social security contributions, vacation pay, severance, and other benefits.
In 2023, a group of Chavista organizations delivered a constitutional appeal before the Venezuelan Supreme Court, arguing that under Venezuelan labor law bonuses must be considered as salaries with all their implications. However, the petition received no answer from the country’s highest judicial body.
Thursday also saw activists and trade unionists hold demonstrations outside regional Labor Ministry offices in 14 Venezuelan states.
Arvilio Hidalgo, secretary general of the CUTEC trade union in Carabobo state, called on the government to “restore the infringed-upon rights of the working class.”
“Our struggle right now is to restore the minimum wage and social security,” he stated. “We are also calling for the release of workers and trade unionists who were arrested for defending labor rights.”
In recent years, trade unions and human rights groups have denounced dozens of arrests of labor leaders, claiming that they were targeted for upholding collective bargaining rights or opposing corruption in the public sector and state-owned companies. Several trade union representatives have been released in past days following the approval of the Amnesty Law.
The labor organizations that rallied on Thursday announced a new protest on March 12.
In recent months, Venezuelan authorities have announced plans to develop a “new labor model” and engaged in consultation processes with pro-government trade unions.
The country’s main business lobby, FEDECÁMARAS, has openly voiced support for an overhaul of labor legislation reform that cuts down on benefits and other employer responsibilities.
One of the core legacies of the Hugo Chávez administration, Venezuela’s Organic Law of Labor and Workers (LOTTT) was hailed as the “most advanced labour law in the world.” The historic 2012 law prohibits unfair dismissal and outsourcing, enshrines the world’s third longest maternity leave, guarantees the right to work for both women and people with disabilities, and extends retirement pensions to all workers, including full-time mothers and the self-employed.
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Protest in Yaracuy state. (Tribuna Popular)](https://venezuelanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-4.jpg)
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Concentration in Puerto Ordaz, Anzoátegui state. (Tribuna Popular)](https://venezuelanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-5.jpg)
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Labor movements have called for a new rally on March 12. (Ronaldo Díaz / Contrapunto)](https://venezuelanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-6.jpg)
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The removal of the 2792 and Onapre memoranda, which flatten wage scales and freeze collective bargaining rights, were some of the main demands. (Ronaldo Díaz / Contrapunto)](https://venezuelanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-7.jpg)
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The FNLCT and CUTV trade union confederations were present in a rally in Barquisimeto, Lara state. (Tribuna Popular)](https://venezuelanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-8.jpg)
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Rally in Barinas state. (Archive)](https://venezuelanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-9.jpg)
The post Venezuelan Trade Unions Stage Nationwide Demonstrations, Demand Wage Hikes appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.
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The Trump administration and Israel have launched a massive war against Iran that has already brought death, destruction and chaos all across the Middle East.
From Liberation News – The Newspaper of the Party for Socialism and Liberation via This RSS Feed.
Santa Ana, CA – A large mural depicting Noe Rodriguez now stands in downtown Santa Ana. About 200 feet away, Rodriguez was killed by Santa Ana Police officers Luis Casillas and Isaac Ibarra on December 1, 2024.
Last Sunday, February 22, over 25 residents, including Noe's wife Erika Armenta and their daughters, celebrated the man Noe was in life. They, alongside many other impacted family members, demanded justice for his death. All speakers used Spanish, the primary language spoken by Noe and by many residents of Santa Ana.
Abraham Quintana from Community Service Organization (CSO OC) said, “We are united here today to commemorate Noe’s life in a mural that shows us and the world who he really was, and not the image that our enemies have tried painting. This mural was made possible by months of grassroots organizing and pressure, and especially Erika herself, who has fought tirelessly for justice for Noe Rodriguez. This mural is important not just as a victory, but as a sign that we are in a new stage of that struggle.”
Next to speak was Erika Armenta, the wife of Noe Rodriguez and a member of CSO OC, “Every step that we take, small as it may seem, is a big step towards a great change for our city. We represent those who do not have a voice nor a vote, and who the police are treating as criminals – including us! It has been a very difficult struggle because they are treating us as if we are against public safety.”
Armenta was referring to attacks by the Santa Ana Police Officers Association (SAPOA), which has smeared CSO as being “anti-public safety” while also spreading lies about its members. The SAPOA spends hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting politicians like Mayor Valerie Amezcua along with Councilmembers Phil Bacerra and David Penaloza, and tens of thousands supporting candidates to unseat progressive politicians on the city council. Armenta said, “They have tried to make our struggle impossible, but our strength to go forward is greater!”
Armenta concluded by saying, “Our unity as CSO has built a family. I feel very happy for my daughters: I asked them, ‘What is CSO?’ They told me that for them, it is a family. Because like a family, it supports us, it helps us. And it doesn’t matter that we’re not related by blood because we are in the same fight!”
Armenta also spoke on behalf of the family of Imanol Gonzalez. He was a 19-year-old Chicano from Santa Ana who was struck and killed by drunk, off-duty LAPD Sergeant Carlos Coronel on February 1, 2025. Coronel fled the scene without calling for medical help or alerting police. Imanol’s family, including his mother, Ariana Salvador, joined the mural unveiling. CSO demands that Sergeant Carlos Coronel be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. You can sign a petition to support these demands here.
The family of Albert Arzola also came to support. Albert Arzola was a 19-year-old Chicano who was killed by Anaheim PD on December 6, 2025. Officers profiled Arzola, leapt out of an unmarked car and chased him towards his front porch. One officer shot Arzola in the back and killed him, and police detained his family including small children for hours while they ransacked his home.
Albert Arzola’s mother, Rosie Camacho, said, “I am here to support everyone who has also suffered from police violence. We are not alone! We want justice! And we are going to have justice!” Camacho continued, saying “Whoever wronged us should not keep working for the law, because they already took the life of my son: Albert Arzola. We will not be silenced!” The Arzola family demands the release of all body camera footage from the incident, the release of the autopsy report, and the release of the officers’ names.
The mural of Noe Rodriguez was completed by artists Jose Ortiz and Esteban Ginez, who was present at the unveiling. CSO presented Ginez with a certificate of recognition for his work. Santa Ana City Councilmember Jonathan Hernandez helped commission the artists and secure the mural location. In 2021 Hernandez’s cousin, Brandon Lopez, was chased by Anaheim PD and killed in Santa Ana. Hernandez is a frequent target of Valerie Amezcua, Phil Bacerra and David Penaloza.
CSO closed the event with music by Banda Cuisillos de Arturo Macías, Noe’s favorite music, while Erika Armenta served pozole she prepared for the attendees. The mural symbolizes the dignity of Noe Rodriguez and other victims of police violence. It refuses to let the city forget what happened over one year ago to a 31-year-old working-class Chicano, a kind father and husband struggling to survive as many do in the Southwest.
The mural stands less than a mile from where other Chicanos were recently killed by police: Victor Lopez in 2026 and Miguel Chavez in 2022. But less well known is the racist lynching of Francisco Torres in 1892, only five minutes away. The long legacy of racist violence against Chicanos speaks to the other meaning of Noe’s mural – the struggle for Chicano Liberation continues. But as Erika Armenta said, “our strength to go forward is greater.”
#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoLatino #CSOOC #NoeRodriguez
From Fight Back! News via This RSS Feed.
Austin, TX – On February 26, at 5 p.m., around 80 students, faculty and university affiliates gathered at the South Lawn of the University of Texas at Austin to protest the recent announcement of the elimination of the departments of Mexican-American and Latino Studies, African and African Diaspora Studies, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and American Studies. The departments will lose departmental status and be consolidated into a new department of Social and Cultural Analysis.
The protest was organized by the Austin Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). They demanded a stop to this elimination and more transparency when it comes to major changes to the university.
Sofie Gomez, a member of Austin SDS, began the protest, stating, “Women like Bell Hooks fought and challenged academic settings like this. Fought for visibility. Fought to be put in our place. And she is being taught in these courses! They don’t want us to sharpen our minds with this wisdom. They don’t want queer people to be visible in academic settings!”
After a series of chants, students led the protest into a march around campus. They stopped at the Dorothy L. Gebauer Building, where the office of the College of Liberal Arts is located, to continue chants.
Dr. Karma Chavez, department chair of Mexican-American and Latino Studies, said, “This is an unprecedented time, where [University of Texas President Jim Davis] can make these decisions, without consulting any of the department heads, and decline public comment.” She highlighted the difficulty faculty have had in communicating with upper administration and the need for students to advocate for these departments to stay.
Mia Reballosa, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “The only way we can win a better future is to continue to fight. Continue to make our voices heard because there is no other solution. These departments were won through long term, protracted advocacy from students and faculty, so we must continue to defend them. We have to continue to voice our demands. The only way we can win is to fight back, to organize, and be persistent.”
The students then marched to Gregory Plaza and finished off the protest with a series of chants such as, “We don’t want consolidation! We demand representation! We don’t want elimination! Hands off our education!”
#AustinTX #TX #StudentMovement #SDS
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‘Eulogy for globalist hypocrisy’: Netizens react to Canada PM’s speech on end of ‘rules-based order’
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Extra context added because this headline is wildly misleading.