US Vice President Vance expresses skepticism over reports of missile strike on Iranian wedding
Vice President JD Vance said he doubts Iran's account of a missile attack that killed four civilians at a wedding in Kuhestak, while U.S. officials announced an investigation and noted a history of disputed civilian casualty claims.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that he is "extremely skeptical" of Iranian reports that a U.S. missile strike hit a wedding celebration in the southern town of Kuhestak, killing two women and two children and injuring dozens. He added that "sometimes, things happen" and reiterated that the United States "never targets civilians in combat" and would investigate the incident.
Iranian authorities said the attack, which struck a telecommunications tower near the shoreline, killed four people – a four-year-old boy, a 16-year-old teenager and two adults – and wounded 67, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. The Red Crescent provided images of the scene and sent a letter to the International Criminal Court seeking legal action.
U.S. Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins said the United States was aware of the reports, which originated from Iranian state media, and was looking into them. He also stated that the U.S. military does not target civilians, contrasting its policy with that of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Analysts noted that Vance's remarks fit a pattern of U.S. officials initially questioning or downplaying civilian casualty reports in past conflicts, citing examples from Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq and Vietnam. Emily Tripp, executive director of the watchdog group Airwars, said the response often treats civilian harm as a public-relations issue rather than a matter for thorough investigation.
The incident is under investigation by U.S. authorities, and weapons experts have suggested the damage may have been caused by a precision-guided missile similar to the AGM-84K SLAM-ER, a type manufactured by Boeing.