US probes alleged missile strike on Iranian wedding amid rising tensions
Vice-President JD Vance has confirmed an investigation into claims that US shrapnel killed five people at a ceremony in Sirik, while expressing deep scepticism about the reporting.
The US military is investigating Iranian claims that a missile strike killed at least four people, including two children, at a wedding ceremony in Sirik, southern Iran. Vice-President JD Vance announced the inquiry on Thursday, noting that US missiles were fired on the same day in response to attempted attacks on American forces.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported that shrapnel from the missile hit the ceremony, injuring 67 people. Iranian state media later confirmed a fifth death, identifying the victim as a 22-year-old woman who died in hospital shortly after the incident. The four initial fatalities were named as Zarkhatoon Taheri, 50; Kolsum Mallahi Nazhdnia, 43; Mohammad Mallahi, 16; and Amirali Karimi, four.
Despite the growing casualty count, Vance expressed "extreme scepticism" regarding the reports. At a White House briefing, he stated that Iranian state media has not been a "very good scribe" regarding the conflict thus far. However, he confirmed that the investigation is underway to determine the precise mechanism of the strike.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei declared the incident a "war crime," a claim contested by US Central Command, which stated that its forces "never target civilians." In response to the alleged strike, Iran has launched fresh attacks on US bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
BBC Verify confirmed a video and images showing a telecommunications tower destroyed near Kuhestak's coast. BBC Persian Forensics determined that the tower was located approximately 112 metres from the house where the wedding was being held. Other footage showed severely damaged houses about 130 metres north of the tower.
The incident occurs within a broader conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran that has persisted for over half a year since a joint attack on 28 February. The investigation seeks to clarify whether the specific US missile strike directly caused the deaths or if the injuries resulted from shrapnel from a nearby impact.
