Civilian Casualties Mount in Iran as Airstrikes Target Tehran and Hormozgan

The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran has escalated sharply entering its second week, marked by a devastating strike in the southern city of Minab. Nearly 170 people, primarily children, were killed when a missile struck near the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school. Investigators suggest a U.S.-made Tomahawk missile may have been used in the attack, which targeted an adjacent IRGC installation. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni formally denounced the incident as a 'massacre,' while over 250 U.S. organizations have called on Congress to reject a $50 billion war funding request amid the rising civilian toll. In Tehran, U.S.-Israeli coalition airstrikes hit an al-Quds Day demonstration, killing at least one woman. Meanwhile, Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued His first public statement since the assassination of his father on February 28. He has ordered the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and called for the closure of all U.S. bases in the region. President Donald Trump, commenting on the war's progression, posted 'watch what happens' on social media, even as reports emerged of four U.S. service members killed in a refueling aircraft crash in Iraq. Regional stability continues to deteriorate as the UN Refugee Agency reports 3.2 million Iranians have been displaced in under two weeks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive, stating that Israel is 'initiating' rather than waiting. On the tactical front, the IRGC claims to have damaged the USS Abraham Lincoln in a drone attack, though the U.S. military has yet to confirm these reports. Economic concerns are also rising, with analysts warning of imminent global oil supply disruptions.