Iran Claims US Airstrike on Wedding Party in Sirik Results in Five Deaths

People gather at the site of a reported attack in Kuhistik, Sirik, Iran, on September 1, 2026. Iran has accused the United States of carrying out a bombing that struck a house during a wedding celebration in the southern county of Sirik, resulting in the deaths of at least five people, including a child.

Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesman for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, characterized the incident as a "brutal" attack on a residence located in the city of Kuhestak early on Wednesday. According to Iran’s Press TV, at least five individuals lost their lives. Reza Shahidiyan, the governor of Sirik county, stated to the IRIB state broadcaster that a minimum of 63 other people sustained injuries, with 50 of those wounded being women and children. All injured individuals were transported to a hospital in the nearby city of Minab and are reported to be in stable condition.

The semi-official Fars news agency shared an account from a child who survived the blast, who reported hearing fighter jets prior to arriving at the venue. "When we arrived there, an explosion occurred. It was very intense. Bricks, stones, and cement hit me in the face and head, and many others were injured," the child said, adding that everyone present consisted of ordinary civilians.

These reports coincided with an announcement from the US military detailing a new wave of strikes directed at "Iranian military targets". The US military stated that the action was a response to attempted attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and targeting US troops. Operations by the US military targeted Iranian air defence sites, radar systems, maritime assets and facilities, mine-laying capabilities, and communications sites.

The recent strikes follow a weekend exchange of fire, which marked the first such event since July and the most significant escalation since that time. The developments unfold amidst an ongoing standoff concerning the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blockaded by Tehran since the beginning of the war on February 28, contributing to a rise in global energy prices.

Baghaei condemned the US actions and vowed a response, stating, "This cruelty cannot be separated from the chain of atrocities that preceded in it." He referenced previous incidents, including a February 28 US strike in the city of Minab that hit an elementary school and resulted in the deaths of over 150 people, predominantly children, as well as an attack on a sports hall in the city of Lamerd on the same day that killed at least 21 people.

The semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim reported additional explosions across the south of the country, impacting locations such as Konarak, Bandar Abbas, and Qeshm Island. In response, Iran’s military reported retaliatory strikes directed at US bases in Jordan and Bahrain, while Kuwait confirmed the interception of incoming missiles. Furthermore, the IRGC claimed to have successfully shot down a US MQ-9 drone utilizing a newly developed air defence system.