The Global Campaign for Education–US (GCE-US) is devastated by reports that a U.S. missile strike on an Iranian girls’ school has killed at least 165 civilians, most of them children. We call for a full, transparent, and independent investigation into how this attack occurred and how a protected civilian site was targeted. 

Schools must never be treated as military objects. The right to education does not disappear in times of conflict, and international humanitarian law requires all parties to take constant care to protect civilians, especially children. 

“This tragedy lays bare the catastrophic consequences of weakened civilian‑protection systems,” said Giulia McPherson, Executive Director of GCE‑US. “No child should ever lose their life in a place of learning. We urgently need a full, independent investigation and meaningful reforms to ensure schools remain safe havens, not battlegrounds.” 

GCE‑US urges:

• A comprehensive investigation that includes planners, commanders, and all personnel involved in the strike.
• Immediate steps to strengthen civilian‑harm mitigation, including restoring and expanding the teams responsible for preventing attacks on schools and other protected sites.
• Public release of findings and concrete policy changes to ensure such a catastrophic failure never happens again. 
• Protection of all students, teachers, and civilians in accordance with international law. 

We stand with the families and communities shattered by this attack. No child should lose their life in a place of learning, and no school should ever become a battlefield.