US Central Command denies targeting civilians after reported wedding strike in Iran

A reported US airstrike struck a residence in Sirik County, Iran, during a wedding celebration on September 1, killing at least four people and wounding dozens more, according to Iranian state media. US Central Command responded by asserting that it does not target civilians, framing the strike as part of ongoing operations against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

What happened in Kuhestak

The strike hit a location in Kuhestak, a settlement in Sirik County within Iran’s Hormozgan province, while a wedding celebration was underway. Iranian media and officials reported between four and five people killed, with around 68 to 70 individuals wounded.

Among the identified victims were Amir Ali Karimi, a four-year-old child, alongside Mohammad Malahi, aged 16, Kolsoum Malahi, aged 43, and Zarkhatoun Taheri, also 43. Iranian officials said the majority of the wounded were women and children.

Hormozgan province sits along Iran’s southern coast, facing the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through that narrow channel.

CENTCOM’s statement was blunt in its denial. “The U.S. military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC,” the command said. CENTCOM characterized the broader operation as targeting IRGC capabilities linked to threats against US forces and commercial shipping in the strait.

A conflict with a mounting civilian toll

The 2026 US-Iran conflict has already produced at least one other major civilian casualty event: a reported strike on a school earlier in the year that Iranian sources say killed nearly 200 people.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei labeled the Kuhestak incident as part of a broader “catalogue of atrocities” committed by the US, pledging that Tehran would respond appropriately to protect its sovereignty and citizens.

Iran’s response and the escalation cycle

Iranian officials have vowed retaliation against US or allied targets in response to the Sirik County strike. The IRGC has significant asymmetric capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz region, including fast-attack boats, anti-ship missiles, and a network of proxy forces across the Middle East.

Previous flare-ups, including the 2019 tanker attacks and the January 2020 killing of IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani, produced intense but relatively contained responses. The 2026 conflict, with sustained strikes on Iranian soil and mounting casualty figures, has moved into different territory.

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