A reported US strike on a wedding in Iran has intensified fears over civilian casualties as fighting spreads and tensions rise across the Middle East, reports Asian Lite News Desk
The latest escalation in the Iran war has renewed international concern over civilian casualties after Iranian authorities said 18 people were killed in fresh US strikes, including four people at a wedding ceremony.
Iran’s Health Minister said 108 people were wounded in US attacks across the country on Tuesday night. The Iranian Red Crescent reported that four people died and 67 were injured when a wedding gathering near the Strait of Hormuz was hit, according to Reuters report.
The United Nations condemned the reported civilian casualties. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply alarmed” by reports that a wedding ceremony had been struck and called for an immediate end to military operations.
The latest attacks followed Iranian missile and drone strikes targeting what Tehran described as US assets in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq. Kuwait said its air defences intercepted further Iranian missiles and drones early Thursday.
The renewed fighting comes after combat had largely subsided in July, while diplomatic efforts failed to secure a lasting breakthrough. US President Donald Trump has threatened further military action, despite growing domestic political concerns over the war and its impact on fuel prices.
Iran has suffered substantial military and economic losses during the conflict. Rights group HRANA had previously documented thousands of deaths in the country, including significant civilian casualties.
The US military has denied deliberately targeting civilians, saying its operations are directed at military targets.
The wedding deaths have also revived scrutiny of an earlier strike on a girls’ school in Minab, where 160 people were reportedly killed.
