US Strike on Wedding in Southern Iran Kills Four, Wounds More Than 60
Ali Malahi, the owner of the targeted building, told Iranian state television that his daughter’s wedding was taking place there and that everyone inside was a civilian.
Civil defense and search and rescue teams continue operations in the area after U.S. and Israeli strikes targeted the Enderzgu district of the Iranian capital Tehran at dawn, causing severe damage as half of an eight-story building collapsed and the remaining part became unusable, while nearby structures were heavily damaged and many vehicles were rendered inoperable, on March 23, 2026. Photo by Anadollu Images.
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t least four people have been killed and more than 60 wounded after a US military strike hit a wedding ceremony in Kuhestak, a city in Iran’s southern Sirik County, according to Iranian authorities, local sources and reports from the area.
The overnight attacks took place in Hormozgan province, near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, as Iran and the United States exchanged further strikes amid an escalating conflict. Iranian authorities said the attack struck a residential building where a wedding was being held, while a nearby telecommunications tower was also destroyed.
The Hormozgan governor’s office identified the four people killed as four-year-old Amir Ali Karimi, 16-year-old Mohammad Malahi, and two 43-year-old women, Kolsoum Malahi and Zarkhatoun Taheri. More than 60 people were reported wounded, with some suffering serious injuries.
The circumstances surrounding the strike remain disputed, and the operational details have not been independently established. US Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins said the US military was aware of reports of civilian casualties but said the reports originated from Iranian state media.
Multiple projectiles struck Kuhestak
Nevertheless, videos, photographs, witness accounts and official reports from the area indicated that multiple projectiles struck Kuhestak. Footage showed damage to buildings and the destruction of a telecommunications tower close to the city’s shoreline.
Defence experts examining fragments recovered in Kuhestak suggested that the weapon could have been a variant of the AGM-84K SLAM-ER, an air-launched, precision-guided cruise missile. The missile is manufactured by Boeing and is designed for precision attacks.
Video footage taken on Wednesday morning appeared to show at least one projectile hitting the roof of the building where the wedding was taking place. Other images showed debris and partial destruction inside the building, while electricity was reportedly cut in the surrounding area.
Women’s and children’s footwear could be seen scattered among the debris, while neighbouring residential buildings also sustained damage.
Iranian state television reported that three US missiles had been used in the attack. According to the broadcaster, one missile penetrated the roof of the building and created a hole measuring about 1.5 metres in the ground.
“Everyone inside was a civilian”
Ali Malahi, the owner of the targeted building, told Iranian state television that his daughter’s wedding was taking place there and that everyone inside was a civilian. Hospital footage broadcast by state television showed wounded children and relatives receiving medical treatment.
A young man injured in the attack said he and others were approaching the house when they heard aircraft overhead. He described the explosions as massive and said many women and children were badly wounded.
A woman who said she had been at the scene also claimed that the building was not close to a military installation and that the attack appeared to have directly targeted it.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society released images documenting the aftermath and the injured children. It also contacted the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, calling for legal action against those responsible for what it described as a serious attack.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes, describing them as part of what it called a wider pattern of attacks against Iranian civilians. Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei linked the Kuhestak strike to previous attacks in Minab, Lamerd, Qeshm and other locations.
The strike has also drawn attention because it follows other deadly incidents involving civilian locations during the conflict.
Repeated attacks against civilians
In Minab, in Hormozgan province, an elementary school was largely destroyed during a strike on February 28, the first day of the war. Iranian authorities said about 156 people were killed, most of them schoolchildren, along with teachers, parents and others.
The US military has not released the findings of its investigation into the Minab incident, despite evidence that Tomahawk missiles were used. CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper said the school was situated on an active Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps cruise-missile base.
In Lamerd, in southern Fars province, a sports hall being used by a women’s volleyball team was also struck on the first day of the war. The incident killed 21 people, including four children. Although CENTCOM denied responsibility and accused Iran, investigations by The New York Times, the BBC and independent analysts concluded that a US Precision Strike Missile was responsible.
The latest attack comes after more than six months of war in Iran, during which the US and Israel have also targeted oil and gas facilities, fuel depots, industrial plants, airports, ports, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
According to Iranian authorities, more than 3,500 people have been killed since the beginning of the war, including more than 50 people during a 60-day truce before fighting resumed in July.
The deadly strike on the wedding has intensified questions about civilian protection and accountability as fighting continues around the Strait of Hormuz and elsewhere in Iran.
(Source: Aljazeera English)
