Following a U.S. airstrike that reportedly killed five civilians, including a 4-year-old child, at a wedding in Sirik County, Vice President JD Vance expressed strong skepticism during a White House briefing, stating that sometimes things happen while confirming an ongoing military investigation.
The Strike in Kuhestak and Rising Civilian Casualties
The escalation unfolded on Tuesday when heavy U.S. airstrikes battered the southern coast of Iran along the Strait of Hormuz. Among the targets was the town of Kuhestak in Sirik County, where a missile or associated shrapnel struck a residential home hosting a wedding celebration. The attack left devastation in its wake, with debris and rubble scattered across the venue as celebrants scrambled for safety.
Casualty figures from the incident have been independently tracked by humanitarian monitors. The Red Crescent reported that the initial bombardment killed four people, including a child, and wounded more than 50 others. Iranian state television subsequently confirmed that the death toll rose to five after a 22-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries in the hospital.
White House Response and the Sometimes Things Happen Remark
During a press briefing at the White House on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance addressed the incident when questioned by reporters. Vance maintained that Washington was looking into the event but immediately cast doubt on the veracity of the reports coming from the region.
“I will say that the Iranian state media has not been a very good scribe about what’s happened in the conflict thus far, so I’m extremely skeptical of this.”
Vance acknowledged that the administration lacked definitive information regarding whether American forces were directly responsible for the strike. The U.S. is investigating the claims because officials want to know what happened.
When pressed further on civilian safety in the broader conflict, Vance emphasized that U.S. military doctrine strictly prohibits targeting noncombatants.
“What I can say with 100% confidence is that, unlike the IRGC, the United States never targets civilians in combat. We never will do that. We never have done that, and unfortunately, obviously, sometimes things happen.”
Funerals, Regional Retaliation, and Oil Market Pressures
The aftermath of the strike brought immediate local grief and wider regional retaliation. Mourners in Sirik County gathered outside Kuhestak for a public funeral, carrying flag-draped coffins beneath palm fronds. Footage broadcast by Mehr news agency highlighted the burial of 4-year-old Amir-Mohammad Karimi, drawing fierce condemnation from Iranian officials who labeled the operation a brutal war crime.
Photo: Reuters
Kuwait’s army reported intercepting incoming aerial threats, while Iranian state media claimed hits on regional bases.
Broader Historical Parallels and Political Fallout
The wedding strike has drawn bitter comparisons to previous high-casualty incidents earlier in the conflict. Iranian authorities and foreign ministry spokespersons likened the event to a 28 February attack in Minab, where a U.S. strike hit a school compound, resulting in the deaths of more than 150 people, predominantly schoolchildren.
Domestically, the administration’s handling of the war met sharp criticism. Commenting on the nature of the ongoing hostilities, Vance asserted that the current exchange did not constitute a war. That characterization prompted swift pushback from lawmakers, including Congressman Ro Khanna, who called the statement unbelievable gaslighting.
Vance says US probing airstrike that Iran says hit wedding party
