By Urdu Report Editorial Team
The US military is investigating Iran’s claim that an American missile strike hit a wedding gathering in southern Iran, killing at least four people, including two children.
US Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that he was “very skeptical” of the Iranian account but confirmed that the incident was being investigated.
“Iranian state media has not proven to be a reliable source during this conflict,” Vance said at a White House briefing. “However, I know that we are investigating it.”
Four killed and 67 injured, Iran says
Iran’s Red Crescent Society said missile fragments fell on a house in Koohestak, in Hormozgan province’s Sirik district, where a wedding was taking place on Tuesday.
Iranian authorities said four people were killed and 67 injured. The reported victims included two children.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described the incident as a “war crime.”
Iranian media identified the victims as 50-year-old Zar Khatun Taheri, 43-year-old Kulsoom Malahi Najdnia, 16-year-old Mohammad Malahi and four-year-old Amir Ali Karimi.
The Red Crescent initially reported five deaths.
Ali Malahi, the bride’s father and owner of the building, said the incident happened during his daughter’s wedding ceremony. He described it as a “very sad incident.”
US denies targeting civilians
The reported strike came as the US carried out missile attacks on targets in Iran following what Washington described as possible attacks against American forces.
A US Central Command spokesman said the American military “never targets civilians.”
Captain Tim Hawkins said CENTCOM was aware of Iranian reports about the Sirik incident and repeated that the US does not target civilians.
However, A foreign news agency Verify reported that footage from the area showed a damaged telecommunications tower and nearby homes.
Iran reports further casualties
Iranian state media reported seven additional deaths in three US strikes around Ahvaz and Aghajari in Khuzestan province.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said four members of its aerospace force were killed in Kermanshah. Three Basij members were also reportedly killed on Lavan Island.
Iranian authorities said seven people were killed and eight wounded in the reported attacks around Ahvaz and Aghajari.
Iran launches retaliatory attacks
Iran responded with ballistic missiles and drones aimed at US bases and targets in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
Iranian forces claimed that US Marine barracks at Camp Tytan in Jordan were damaged. Reuters, citing US officials, reported that there were no casualties.
Jordan’s armed forces said they intercepted 13 ballistic missiles, destroying 10. Three others landed in remote, uninhabited areas.
Kuwait’s fire service said a drone caused a fire at a residential complex but reported no casualties.
Strait of Hormuz remains a major flashpoint
The latest exchanges come amid renewed US-Iran tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command said its strikes followed recent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps activity against US forces and commercial shipping in the waterway.
The conflict has also affected commercial shipping. A Saudi national shipping company said two Filipino crew members were killed after its crude oil tanker Sadr was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
The latest reports of casualties and damage remain disputed, with the US saying it is investigating Iran’s claim that an American missile hit the wedding gathering.
