Tragic Toll: US Military Strikes Wedding in Iran's Sirik County, Leaving Multiple Casualties

The city of Kuhestak, located in southern Iran’s Sirik County in Hormozgan province, close to the Strait of Hormuz, was the target of multiple overnight attacks by the United States military, with local sources and authorities saying a wedding ceremony was struck.

The Hormozgan governor’s office identified four victims as four-year-old Amir Ali Karimi, 16-year-old Mohammad Malahi, 43-year-old Kolsoum Malahi and 43-year-old Zarkhatoun Taheri. More than 60 others were wounded, some seriously.

Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command (CENTCOM), said they were aware of reports of civilian casualties originating from Iranian state media, adding that the US military never targets civilians, unlike the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

However, numerous videos, witness accounts, and official reports indicate that multiple projectiles hit Kuhestak with deadly effect. Footage showed a telecommunications tower near the shoreline destroyed, and defense experts suggest fragments found at the site point to an AGM-84K SLAM-ER variant, an advanced precision-guided cruise missile manufactured by Boeing.

Footage from the scene showed a direct hit to the roof of the building hosting the wedding. Ali Malahi, the owner of the targeted building, told state television that all individuals inside were civilians. The Iranian Red Crescent Society documented the attack and wrote to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court seeking legal action.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the strikes complete a catalogue of atrocities by the US against Iran, citing previous attacks in Minab, Lamerd, Qeshm, and other locations. According to authorities, more than 3,500 Iranians have been killed since the start of the war.