US Bombs Iranian Wedding, Kills 5 - Iranian Media, NYT

The US military is investigating reports from Iranian media and humanitarian groups that it struck a wedding, killing five and injuring over 65 others.

The Details: Around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to The New York Times (Lean Left bias), a family home hosting a wedding in the southern city of Kuhestak was struck. The Times, BBC News (Center), and Associated Press (Lean Left) all reported speaking to weapons experts who believed remains from the weapon recovered after the strike indicated the weapon was American-made. Several outlets reported that 150 yards away from the wedding, the US struck an Iranian communications tower.

Key Statements: US Central Command spokesperson Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins told several outlets, "We are aware of reports, which originated from Iranian state media, and we are looking into them. The US military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC." Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accused the US of committing a "war crime." The IRCS wrote to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague and said the strike "warrants an independent, impartial, thorough, and effective investigation."

Wider Context: The strike was part of a wider campaign against "Iranian military targets" in response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said it hit air defenses, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying vessels, and communications sites. Tasnim, a self-described "Iranian state media" outlet, reported explosions in several coastal settlements, including Konarak, Bandar Abbas, Jask, Asaluyeh, Ahvaz, and Qeshm Island.

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Death Toll: Humanitarian group, the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), and state media agency IRNA said four were killed. The IRCS said the dead consisted of two adults and two minors. Shortly thereafter, local governor Ahmad Nafisi reportedly told state television that five were killed, a change Associated Press (Lean Left) said came with "no explanation." Most outlets stated the death toll at four, though The New York Times wrote in its headline that it was five. The outlet cited the IRCS for the figure.

How The Media Covered It: Qatari outlet Al Jazeera (Lean Left) was the first major outlet with a Western reach to pick the story up early on Tuesday. The Washington Examiner (Lean Right) was the only outlet from the right that AllSides found to mention the wedding strike in a headline. The New York Times ran a lengthy original report and analysis on the strike that was loaded with emotionalism and sensationalism and largely focused on the viewpoint of Iranian entities and people.

Previously: On February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran, a group of 165 Iranians that consisted mostly of school children was killed in an airstrike. The Washington Examiner noted that the US military has still not yet published its investigation results regarding who was culpable. In 2013, the US military struck a wedding procession in Yemen, killing 12 and injuring 15. In 2008, the US military bombed a wedding party in Afghanistan, killing 37, mostly women and children, and injuring 27.

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