The Iranian baby who survived the Israeli attack that killed her family – and became a symbol in Iran

Helma was taken to hospital for observation after being pulled from the rubble of her Fars family home In the dim light of a destroyed building in Tabriz, Iran, rescuers make their way through broken concrete and twisted metal. Suddenly, a small body is found. Helma, just 1 and a half years old, is pulled from the rubble. “I’m going to get you out of there, my dear,” says one of the rescuers, in a low voice. Moments later, she is taken outside, still alive. Helma was sleeping when an air strike hit her home in this city in northern Iran. Still in her pajamas, she was buried under the rubble of her family’s tenth-floor apartment. When rescuers found her, she was the only survivor. His parents, brother and sister—his entire immediate family—died. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp In an interview at her hospital bedside, a cousin of hers said: “She had an older sister and a brother. They all died, and only Helma survived. What sin did they commit?” Images of her rescue quickly spread across Iranian media, while a photo of her in hospital, with angel wings added, was displayed on street billboards. With censorship imposed by the Iranian government and internet shutdowns limiting the flow of information arriving from Iran, coverage of Helma’s case offers a rare glimpse into the aftermath of US and Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran. Iranian state media has used the episode to highlight what it describes as “American-Zionist” aggression, placing Helma’s survival — and loss — at the center of that narrative. At his family’s funeral, people interviewed by the semi-official Fars News agency expressed sadness and defiance. “Now we are all Helma’s mother,” said one woman. Since then, the girl has been described by some as “a daughter of Iran”. Father targeted Photographs of Helma were displayed on billboards alongside busy streets in Tabriz Fars But there is more to her story than has been reported in Iran. Helma’s father, Hamid Mirzadeh, is said to have links to the country’s armed forces. Images of his grave appear to identify him as a colonel in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Alma, an Israeli think tank, stated that Mirzadeh served as commander of Iran’s missile forces. Helma’s case gave a human face to the debate over the conduct of the war and the strategies adopted by both sides. The US and Israel say they are targeting military personnel, not civilians. Under international humanitarian law, all parties to a conflict must distinguish between civilian targets and military objectives. The legislation also determines that, as far as possible, install military targets in or near densely populated areas. But with military installations often located in civilian areas — and commanders living with their families — a significant number of civilians end up directly exposed to fighting. The Iranian government has not updated the number of victims. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), based in the USA, estimates that more than 3,500 people have been killed in Iran since the start of the war — including around 1,600 civilians and at least 244 children. The Israeli Air Force claims to have killed more than 2,000 regime soldiers and commanders and says it has carried out more than 10,000 air strikes since the start of the conflict. The US claims to have carried out a similar number of missions. Helma was pulled from the rubble of her family’s apartment with few injuries Red Crescent In this case, everything indicates that the target was Helma’s father. The missile hit with precision, hitting the family’s apartment directly. A security guard told a local broadcaster that “at around 3:20 a.m., a huge explosion occurred.” In addition to Helma’s family, two other people were injured. “Everything turned into chaos,” said one resident. In a statement to the BBC, the Israel Defense Forces said it had “struck an Iranian terrorist regime military target in Tabriz.” The statement added: “The Israel Defense Forces carries out attacks in accordance with international law and takes all feasible measures to reduce harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure that may be affected by the action.” The death of Mirzadeh, Helma’s father, represents a blow to the Iranian Armed Forces, but, according to state-linked vehicles, it also reinforced the determination of part of the population in the city where Helma lived. “To our enemies, I say the following,” a woman told the Fars News agency during the family’s funeral. “With these deaths and the actions they are taking now, they only make us stronger.” “We will not allow them to take our land,” said another man. “I myself will go with a rifle to [defender] the island of Kharg,” he added, referring to Iran’s main oil export terminal, which President Donald Trump has already suggested trying to seize. Physically, at least, Helma appears to have recovered from the trauma. Images of her with family members show her running and playing with toys. But the scale of her loss is enormous. This is not the first time that family members of members of the Iranian authorities have died in attacks of this type. Wars are fought by soldiers. But, as Helma’s case shows, it is often civilians — especially children — who pay the price. VIDEOS: most watched on g1

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