A wedding celebration in southern Iran has become the centre of a growing international dispute after four people, including a child, were reportedly killed during the latest wave of US-Iran military attacks.
Iranian officials described the deaths as a serious violation, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei calling the incident a “war crime.”
The Iranian Red Crescent said fragments from a US missile hit a residential property where people were gathered for the celebration. Early reports put the death toll at five, but the figure was later revised to four.
Washington, however, rejected any suggestion that American forces intentionally attacked civilians. The US military said its operations were focused on Iranian military targets and were carried out following what it described as attempted Iranian attacks.
The dispute over the wedding deaths comes as the conflict enters a more dangerous phase.
Iran has responded to US strikes with missile and drone attacks against American-linked military positions and facilities in countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq.
The developments suggest the confrontation is no longer limited to Iran and US targets inside the two countries, raising concerns about a broader regional conflict.
There are also growing worries over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps reported that two oil tankers were hit by mines while attempting to cross the waterway.
With military operations intensifying and reports of civilian casualties emerging, international concern is growing over the humanitarian and economic consequences of the escalating conflict.
