Escalation of conflict between Iran, UAE, and the United States

On February 28, a strike occurred at a primary school in Minab, Iran, resulting in at least 150 to 175 reported fatalities, including many children. While the U.S. and Israel have not confirmed involvement and are investigating, investigations by The New York Times suggest the strike occurred during a broader U.S. operation targeting a nearby naval facility operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. On March 6, Iranian Revolutionary Guards stated they targeted the Al-Dhafra airbase in the UAE in retaliation. Concurrently, the UAE reported four civilian deaths from Iranian attacks and conducted retaliatory airstrikes against Iranian desalination facilities. The U.S. has denied deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure. Independent verification of all casualty figures and strike origins remains difficult due to restricted access in the region.