Iran says US strike on wedding ceremony killed, injured 68 in southern Iran

A U.S. military strike on a residential compound where a wedding celebration was taking place in Kuhestak, Sirik County, southern Iran, has killed civilians and injured dozens of others, according to Iranian authorities and independent reporting.

The attack occurred on September 1, 2026, as families gathered for a wedding ceremony in the coastal town. Associated Press reported that at least five people, including a four-year-old child, a 16-year-old and two women, were killed, while more than 60 others were injured. Another woman later died from her injuries.

A Reuters investigation published on September 3 found that the deadly explosion was likely caused by a direct hit from a U.S. munition. Weapons experts who examined verified images and videos concluded that the damage was consistent with a U.S.-made air-dropped bomb, rather than an Iranian missile or a weapon that had simply deviated from its intended target.

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The wedding site was reportedly about 135 metres from a telecommunications tower that U.S. forces had targeted during military operations in the area. U.S. officials have said American forces were conducting strikes against Iranian military infrastructure, including air-defence and maritime-related targets, while the circumstances surrounding the civilian casualties are being investigated.

The incident has renewed concerns over civilian casualties in the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, particularly because the victims were gathered for a private family celebration rather than a military operation.

Previous Civilian Casualties in Minab

The Kuhestak strike has also drawn renewed attention to the February 28 attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, also in Hormozgan Province.

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More than 150 people, most of them children, were killed when the school was struck during the opening hours of the conflict. Investigations by international media and human rights organisations have found evidence indicating that the strike was likely carried out with a U.S.-made missile.

Human Rights Watch said its analysis showed that the school was physically separated from a nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps compound and that multiple structures, including the school, appeared to have been directly hit by guided munitions. The organisation called for a prompt and thorough investigation.

Amnesty International likewise said available video footage, satellite imagery and witness accounts indicated that an air strike struck the school, while analysis of missile remnants suggested a U.S.-manufactured Tomahawk missile was likely involved.

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Questions Over Civilian Protection

The latest incident has intensified debate over the protection of civilians during the conflict and whether sufficient precautions were taken to prevent civilian casualties when military targets were attacked.

The Iranian government has condemned the Kuhestak strike, describing it as an attack on civilians and demanding international attention to the incident.

The United States has maintained that its military operations are directed at military targets. U.S. Vice President JD Vance has acknowledged the wedding incident and said an investigation is underway, while stressing that deliberately targeting civilians is not U.S. policy.

Under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian objects are protected from deliberate attacks, while attacks against legitimate military objectives must comply with principles including distinction and proportionality.

The Kuhestak incident is therefore likely to remain a major focus of scrutiny as investigators examine what was targeted, what intelligence was used in planning the strike and why civilians at the wedding were caught in the attack.

For the families affected, however, the consequences are already clear: a gathering intended to celebrate a new beginning ended in death, injuries and mourning.

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