US Vice President JD Vance has confirmed that Washington is conducting an investigation into a deadly strike on a wedding in southern Iran. He emphasized that the US military does not intentionally target civilians, despite an analysis suggesting the blast was likely caused by a US munition.
Vance stated he had been briefed on the incident and that inquiries are ongoing, but expressed doubt about Iranian state media accounts, describing them as unreliable sources during the conflict. “What I can say with absolute certainty is that, unlike the IRGC, the United States never targets civilians in combat,” Vance told reporters at the White House. “We never have and never will do that.”
However, he acknowledged that civilian casualties can occur during military operations, noting that “sometimes things happen.” He added that there is currently insufficient information to determine exactly what transpired in this case. “I don’t think we have details one way or the other,” he remarked.
The strike struck a home during a wedding in Sirik County, southern Iran, on Tuesday, with Iranian officials reporting five deaths, including a 22-year-old woman who later died in hospital, and nearly 70 injured. The attack occurred along Iran’s Strait of Hormuz coastline amid heavy US airstrikes that night. On Thursday, mourners gathered near Kuhestak village in Sirik County to honor the victims, scattering flower petals during the funeral ceremony. The US has not accepted responsibility for the incident.
Vance reiterated that the investigation continues because the US seeks to clarify the facts. “We’re looking into it because we care and want to understand what happened,” he said.
He defended the US military’s handling of incidents involving civilian harm, highlighting that mistakes are investigated and lessons learned to improve operations. “This is the key difference between us and Iran: when our military errs, we learn from it to do better,” Vance explained.
An anonymous US official revealed the government is exploring various possibilities for the wedding casualties, including whether they were caused by a US strike, a ricochet from an Iranian air defense missile, or a malfunctioning interceptor.
Military weapons experts consulted on video and images of the incident concluded the damage was consistent with a direct hit rather than secondary damage from ricocheting munitions. Three experts believed the weapon was likely American, not Iranian, with one suggesting the munition may have missed its intended target.
This incident follows a missile strike about six months ago that destroyed a primary school, killing more than 175 children and teachers Iranian officials. An internal US military investigation indicated US forces were probably responsible, though the Pentagon has not publicly disclosed its findings.
At Thursday’s funeral for four victims of the wedding strike, video showed a pickup truck carrying a flag-draped coffin beneath palm fronds. A reporter identified one victim as Amir-Mohammad Karimi, a 4-year-old child described as a martyr in the attack by the “criminal American regime.”
Footage depicted mourners throwing petals into the air amid somber music, while soldiers stood at attention as a casket passed. A local man lamented, “If it was a military site, it wouldn’t hurt so much. This was a wedding, but they turned joy into mourning,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
The US airstrikes on Tuesday targeted military sites along the coast in retaliation for Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This escalation has driven oil prices to their highest since July, with Brent crude futures surpassing $96 a barrel after four consecutive days of gains.
Iran reported 18 fatalities in the recent US assault and responded on Wednesday with attacks on US bases in Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Early Thursday, Iran claimed to have targeted another US base in Kuwait, where Kuwaiti forces said their air defenses intercepted missiles and drones.
Following these exchanges, the largest escalation since July appeared to subside, with no major attacks reported on Thursday from either side.
The ongoing investigation is expected to face close scrutiny regarding the circumstances of the strike and whether the weapon involved was part of the US military operation in the area.
