U.S. Investigates Deadly Strike at Iranian Wedding in Kuhestak
The United States is investigating reports that an American strike hit a wedding gathering in Kuhestak, southern Iran, killing at least five people and injuring dozens, Vice President J.D. Vance said Thursday.
Iranian media reported that a residential building hosting the celebration was struck on September 1 at about 9:30 p.m. local time. The reported dead include a 4-year-old child, a 16-year-old and a 22-year-old woman who later died in a hospital. Initial reports said at least 68 people were injured.
Reuters and The New York Times independently analyzed footage from the scene and confirmed that a wedding was underway when the building was hit. Their reviews found that fragments shown in Iranian media appeared consistent with weapons used by the United States. A communications tower about 100 meters from the building was also damaged, and one victim was reportedly struck by shrapnel near that site.
U.S. Central Command said its September 1 operations targeted military infrastructure, including air-defense sites, radar systems, maritime facilities, mine-laying capabilities and communications locations. CENTCOM said it does not target civilians and has opened a review. According to Axios, CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper ordered an internal investigation.
Vance said the administration was examining the incident but remained skeptical of Iranian state-media accounts. He also said the U.S. military seeks to learn from any mistakes.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strike and promised a firm response. Tehran subsequently launched missiles and drones toward sites used by U.S. forces in the region.
The Iranian Red Crescent asked the International Criminal Court to investigate possible violations of international law. Legal experts noted that civilians are protected during armed conflict, though neither Iran nor the United States is a party to the Rome Statute, limiting the court’s automatic jurisdiction.