US bombs Iranian wedding, kills 4; Tehran retaliates

A US strike on a home hosting a wedding celebration in southern Iran killed four people, including a child, and injured more than 50 others, prompting Iran to retaliate with missile attacks on US military positions across the Middle East, according to BBC.

The Iranian Red Crescent said the missile strike hit the home in Sirik, in southern Iran, where a wedding gathering was taking place. Iranian officials described the incident as an attack on civilians.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it launched a “heavy” ballistic missile attack on Prince Hassan airbase and a US Marine base in Jordan. Iranian state media also reported attacks on US-linked targets in Iraq and Bahrain.

Jordanian authorities said their air defences intercepted 13 ballistic missiles fired towards the country. Ten were destroyed, while three fell in remote areas. No deaths or injuries were reported from the Iranian attack, according to the Jordanian Armed Forces.

Jordan also warned residents in the Aqaba and Mafraq governorates about falling debris. Kuwait said its air defences were responding to Iranian missile attacks, while explosions were reported in Bahrain.

The Iranian retaliation followed fresh US strikes on Iran that began on Tuesday. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps positions, air-defence sites, radar systems, maritime assets and mine-laying capabilities.

Washington said the strikes came in response to what it described as recent attempted Iranian attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, speaking for CENTCOM, acknowledged reports of the casualties in Sirik but said, “The US military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC,” reports BBC.

The IRGC had warned that the US would “regret” its strikes. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei also said Iran’s armed forces had “unforgettable lessons” in store for Washington in his first message since the latest round of fighting began.

US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, had warned that Iran would be hit at a “much harder and higher level” if Tehran retaliated.

Iranian state media separately reported explosions and projectile impacts in Chabahar, Konarak, Jiroft, Qeshm Island and Bandar Abbas.

The latest escalation comes amid a broader breakdown in the US-Iran ceasefire. The US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran on February 28, prompting Iranian attacks on Israel, US bases and allied states across the Gulf and severely disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

A US-Iran agreement signed in June to extend a ceasefire has since expired. Both countries have also carried out actions against shipping in and around the Strait, while Washington has imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

The United States announced a fresh sanctions campaign against Tehran on August 24, seeking to further isolate Iran and expand secondary sanctions against its allies.

Despite the renewed fighting, diplomatic efforts to revive negotiations remain in focus. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that Tehran would reciprocate if Washington returned to its commitments under the June agreement.

For now, however, the deadly strike on a wedding gathering has triggered another round of Iranian retaliation, raising fears of a wider escalation across the region.