US Investigates Alleged Iranian Wedding Strike, Vice‑President Vance Sceptical
The United States has launched an investigation into claims that an Iranian missile detonated near a wedding ceremony in the southern Iranian province of Bandar Abbas, killing four people, including two children. The Iranian Red Crescent Society released images of the damaged house, and Iranian officials have called the strike a war crime. United States Central Command has stated that U.S. forces never target civilian objects, though missiles were fired that day in response to alleged Iranian attacks. Vice‑President JD Vance described the information from Iran as "extremely suspect" but confirmed the U.S. would investigate the incident.
Iran has responded by launching fresh attacks on U.S. bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates following the disputed strike. The Red Crescent Society reports that 67 people were injured and four people were killed at the ceremony, with a fifth death occurring in hospital shortly after. Named victims include a 50‑year‑old woman, a 43‑year‑old woman, a 16‑year‑old boy and a 4‑year‑old child.
BBC Verify confirmed videos and images from the area, showing a telecommunications tower and nearby houses damaged. The tower was approximately 112 meters from the wedding venue, according to forensic analysis. The ongoing conflict has persisted for over half a year, following a joint U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran on February 28.
The investigation remains ongoing as the U.S. attempts to confirm the details of a potentially civilian-targeting strike, a claim that could modify the current perception of the war in the region.
