US probes deadly strike on Iran wedding that experts link to US munition

US Vice-President J.D. Vance revealed that the United States is investigating a deadly strike on an Iranian wedding, which appears to have been caused by a direct hit from a US munition. An analysis published by Reuters on Thursday concluded that the explosion during a wedding celebration in southern Iran likely resulted from a direct US military action, rather than a ricochet from another target.

The United States has not taken responsibility for the incident. The event unfolded amid growing domestic pressure on US President Donald Trump's administration to end a war that is negatively impacting his approval ratings ahead of the November midterm elections. Iranian state television reported that five people, including a 22-year-old woman, had died in the strike.

Nearly 70 individuals were left wounded. The village of Kuhestak in Sirik County, located along the Strait of Hormuz coast, witnessed the arrival of funeral-goers on Thursday afternoon to mourn their losses. Vance stated that the US is investigating the incident due to its concern and the desire to learn from any mistakes, emphasizing that the US military learns from its errors to improve.

The US military acknowledged being aware of the Iranian reports but affirmed that it "never targets civilians." A spokesperson for the US government expressed that they are examining various scenarios surrounding the casualties, such as a potential US strike, an Iranian air defense missile ricochet, or an errant interceptor. Reuters provided video and images of the incident to four military weapons experts, who all concluded that the damage pattern was consistent with a direct hit from a US weapon, rather than secondary damage from a ricochet.

Three of the experts attributed the munition to the US, while one suggested it might have simply missed its intended target. This incident follows a missile strike on a primary school in Iran six months ago, an attack that Iranian officials claimed had killed over 175 children and teachers. The Pentagon has not released the outcomes of its internal investigation.

The funeral of four victims from the wedding drew a somber crowd, with Iran's Mehr news agency depicting one of the mourners, who identified the deceased as a 4-year-old boy named Martyr Amir-Mohammad Karimi, killed in the attack. The sudden escalation of the conflict with Iran has led to a surge in oil prices, with Brent crude futures climbing above US$96 a barrel on Thursday.

Iran reported 18 deaths in the latest US assault, retaliating with attacks on US bases in Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Kuwait reported that its air defenses had intercepted the incoming missiles and drones. However, the intensity of the conflict appeared to ease, with no further major attacks reported by either side on Thursday.