US investigates whether its forces struck wedding in Iran

The United States is looking into claims that American forces killed several Iranian civilians this week in a strike on a wedding, according to Vice President JD Vance.

An explosion ripped through a marriage ceremony Tuesday in Kuhestak, in southern Iran’s Sirik County, Tehran said. Western media outlets have independently verified imagery from the scene.

“We’re investigating it because we obviously care,” Vance said at a White House news briefing Thursday, adding that he is “extremely skeptical” about the claims.

“Iranian state media has not been a very good scribe about what’s happened in the conflict thus far,” Vance said. “Unfortunately, obviously, sometimes things happen. But in this particular case, I don’t think that we have any information one way or the other.”

U.S. Central Command, which oversees military activity in the Middle East, also confirmed it was reviewing the reports.

“We’re aware of the reports, which originated from Iranian state media, and we are looking into them,” command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said.

“The U.S. military never targets civilians,” Hawkins added.

At least five people were dead as of Friday and nearly 70 others were wounded, according to Iranian officials.

Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei blamed the U.S. for the attack, calling it “America’s desperate attempt to conceal its own defeat.”

The U.S. has not claimed responsibility.

An analysis by Reuters, which had four weapons experts examine verified photographs and video of the damage, said it was consistent with a direct hit, rather than secondary damage from a munition ricocheting off a different target.

Three of the experts said the munition was likely a U.S. weapon, not an errant Iranian air defense missile, Reuters said.

In a separate investigation by The New York Times, a former Army explosive ordnance disposal technician identified munition remnants as parts of a glide bomb used by U.S. Central Command but not by Iranian forces.

The Times said a tail fin and other components were consistent with a Joint Standoff Weapon and concluded that the strike had been launched by U.S. forces.

More than 150 people, mostly children, were killed in a strike that hit an Iranian elementary school on Feb. 28, the first day of the war, according to an Associated Press investigation.

The preliminary conclusion of a Pentagon investigation was that American forces were likely responsible, Reuters reported in March, citing two unidentified U.S. officials. However, the United States has not formally claimed responsibility for the school strike.

The war began with joint U.S. and Israeli strikes, which President Donald Trump said were intended to halt Iran’s nuclear program after negotiations fell through.

Iran subsequently launched thousands of missiles and drones at Israel, U.S. bases and civilian and energy infrastructure across the Gulf. Iran has also repeatedly attacked commercial ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian casualty reports indicate that more than 3,500 people have been killed and at least 33,000 wounded by the fighting, although authorities have not published a single cumulative toll covering the entire conflict.

U.S. casualties include 18 service members killed and more than 790 wounded, according to the latest Pentagon data. Fighting intensified again Sunday following weeks of relative calm.

Asked Thursday how long the conflict might continue, Vance disputed the premise of the question.

“I wouldn’t call it a war,” he said, describing it instead as a series of flareups, before adding: “The reality is I don’t know.”