US investigating if missile hit Iran wedding, Vance says

What the report says

The BBC reports that the United States is investigating Iranian claims that a missile or airstrike killed civilians at a wedding in southern Iran, after Vice-President JD Vance said he was “extremely sceptical” of the allegation but confirmed a review was underway. According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, shrapnel from a missile hit a family ceremony in Sirik on Tuesday, killing at least four people and injuring dozens more. Iranian officials called the reported strike a war crime.

The article says the US Central Command has denied targeting civilians, saying its operations were directed at Iranian military threats. The same day, US missiles were launched in response to what Washington described as attempted attacks on American forces. The BBC notes that the situation has added to already intense tensions between the US and Iran, with Iran also said to have launched fresh attacks on US bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

BBC Verify said it examined video and images from the area and found damage near a telecommunications tower and nearby homes close to where the wedding was held. The BBC also reported that the Red Crescent said 67 people were hurt. The account remains disputed, and the US investigation is ongoing.