Israeli Drone Strike Kills 11-Year-Old at IRGC Checkpoint as Iran Airs Weapons Training for Children
Updated
Updated · Euronews · May 19
Israeli Drone Strike Kills 11-Year-Old at IRGC Checkpoint as Iran Airs Weapons Training for Children
2 articles · Updated · Euronews · May 19
Alireza Jafari, 11, was killed in an Israeli drone strike while manning an IRGC checkpoint in Tehran last Sunday, according to Iranian human rights groups and reports linked to Tehran municipality and Basij units.
The reports say Iran's security forces had assigned him to the post; his mother said his father took him there because of staff shortages and that teenagers aged 15 and 16 — and sometimes younger — were regularly present.
The death comes after the IRGC formally launched a civilian recruitment drive on March 26 with a minimum age of 12, and a Tehran unit commander said 12- and 13-year-olds wanted roles in patrols and checkpoint operations.
IRIB has simultaneously broadcast live weapons training across multiple channels, including simulated shooting at Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu and instruction on rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles and RPG-7s.
Human Rights Watch said using children under 15 in such roles is a war crime, noting Basij checkpoints have spread across Tehran since the war began and have repeatedly been hit by Israeli strikes.
Is Iran's recruitment of child soldiers a desperate move or a calculated strategy for survival?
With children now on Iran's front lines, what is the ultimate price for its society?
As war strengthens Iran's military, is the regime losing strategic control to its own commanders?
Iran’s Recruitment of Children for War: Legal Violations, Human Cost, and Global Condemnation (March 2026–Present)
Overview
Since March 2026, Iran has seen a sharp rise in the recruitment and deployment of children as young as 12 in military roles, led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This campaign, which openly lowered the minimum recruitment age, places minors in serious danger and violates international law. Children are now seen at checkpoints and in active military duties, drawing strong condemnation from human rights organizations. The policy reflects a deepening manpower crisis and has severe consequences for Iranian society, exposing children to violence and trauma while highlighting the regime’s growing desperation and disregard for global legal standards.