A series of overnight strikes by the United States military in the city of Kuhestak, located in Sirik County, Hormozgan province, has resulted in significant civilian casualties, including those attending a wedding ceremony. The attack, which occurred near the Strait of Hormuz, also destroyed a local telecommunications tower.
The governor’s office in Hormozgan confirmed the deaths of four individuals on Wednesday: four-year-old Amir Ali Karimi, 16-year-old Mohammad Malahi, 43-year-old Kolsoum Malahi, and 43-year-old Zarkhatoun Taheri. Additionally, more than 60 people sustained injuries, with several reported to be in serious condition.
In response to the incident, US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson Tim Hawkins stated that the military was aware of reports regarding civilian casualties that “originated from Iranian state media.” Hawkins maintained that “the US military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC,” referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Despite official US statements, evidence from the scene—including witness accounts, official reports, and visual documentation—indicates that multiple projectiles struck the area. Defense experts, analyzing fragments recovered in Kuhestak, suggest the munitions may be a variant of the AGM-84K SLAM-ER, an advanced precision-guided cruise missile that manufacturer Boeing describes as having “surgical strike capability.”
Footage from the aftermath shows a direct hit to the roof of the building hosting the wedding, leaving a 1.5-meter hole in the ground. Local residents and state media reported that the strike caused widespread power outages and left debris, including children’s footwear, scattered throughout the damaged residential area. Ali Malahi, the owner of the targeted home, insisted that all those present were civilians and that the location was not near any military installation.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society has documented the scene and formally requested that the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court initiate legal action against those responsible. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs characterized the strike as part of a broader “catalogue of atrocities” against Iran, with spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei warning against the normalization of such military actions.
This incident follows a history of high-casualty strikes during the ongoing conflict. On February 28, the first day of the war, an attack in Minab destroyed an elementary school, killing approximately 156 people, including many children. While CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper claimed the school was an “active IRGC cruise missile base,” the US military has not released findings from its investigation into the event.
Similarly, in the city of Lamerd, Fars province, a strike on a sports hall used by a women’s volleyball team resulted in 21 deaths, including four children. Independent investigations by several media outlets and analysts concluded that a US Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was responsible for that attack, which utilized munitions designed to scatter thousands of tungsten pellets.
Throughout the six-month conflict, both US and Israeli forces have targeted critical infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities, power grids, medical centers, and water installations. According to Iranian authorities, the total death toll has surpassed 3,500, a figure that includes more than 50 people killed during a 60-day truce that saw renewed fighting in July. The report also notes that some seriously, more than 60 others were wounded. The report also notes that more videos, released by locals and state media, showed partial destruction and debris inside the building, and electricity going out in the area. The report also notes that with one penetrating through the roof and creating a 1.5-metre (5-foot) hole in the ground, a state television reporter said three US missiles were used in the attack. The report also notes that and the bombs caused massive explosions while they were arriving, a young local man wounded in the attack said he and others were heading towards the house when they heard jets flying above.
