Iran Guards chief vows to avenge victims killed in wedding strike

Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief, Ahmad Vahidi, has vowed to avenge the deaths of four people killed in a targeted attack at a wedding ceremony in the southern coastal town of Kuhestak. Vahidi stated that the "pure blood of these oppressed martyrs... will not go unanswered and will definitely be avenged," according to a statement carried by state television.

The strike occurred on Tuesday night, just days after the United States announced military actions against targets linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards. The attack, which killed at least four individuals, including a child, and wounded 68 others, has been labeled a "war crime" by Iranian officials. Washington did not comment directly on the attack, but a US Central Command spokesperson reaffirmed that the US military never targets civilians.

Iran has been in a state of conflict since February 28, following a surprise bombing campaign by the United States and Israel that resulted in the death of Iran's supreme leader. A ceasefire signed in April halted the initial phase of intense bombardment, but sporadic skirmishes have persisted, especially in and around the Strait of Hormuz.