Iran Red Chief Demands Legal Action After US Airstrike Hits Wedding in Hormozgan

TEHRAN — The head of Iran's Red Crescent Society called for international legal action against the United States on Tuesday following a reported airstrike that targeted a wedding ceremony in southern Iran, killing multiple civilians.

Mohammad Jafari, President of the Iranian Red Crescent, issued the statement late Monday night as emergency crews scrambled to the site in Kohestak, Hormozgan province. The incident occurred shortly after midnight local time, disrupting a celebration attended by family members and guests from surrounding villages. Jafari described the attack as a war crime, stating that the targeting of a civilian gathering violates international humanitarian law and demands immediate accountability through global judicial bodies.

The strike has intensified diplomatic tensions between Tehran and Washington. Iranian officials confirmed that the explosion leveled several structures at the wedding venue, resulting in significant casualties. While the exact death toll remains under assessment, local medical teams reported transporting numerous injured individuals to nearby hospitals in critical condition. The Red Crescent deployed search-and-rescue units to the rubble-strewn site to recover bodies and provide aid to survivors.

The United States has not yet issued an official statement regarding the specific incident in Kohestak. American military spokespeople have historically denied targeting civilian events, often attributing strikes in the region to counter-terrorism operations against designated hostile groups. However, no immediate clarification was provided Tuesday morning regarding whether US forces were responsible for the blast or if it resulted from a misidentification of the target.

Hormozgan province, located near the Strait of Hormuz, has been a focal point of regional instability in recent months. The area hosts several military installations and is frequently cited in reports of cross-border tensions. Local residents expressed outrage over the attack, with community leaders gathering at the site to mourn the victims and demand answers from both national and international authorities.

Jafari emphasized that the Red Crescent Society is documenting all injuries and fatalities to support potential future legal proceedings. "The sanctity of civilian life must be protected," Jafari said in his address. "We are calling on the International Criminal Court and other global institutions to investigate this atrocity without delay."

As of Tuesday afternoon, the full scope of the damage remained unclear. Questions persist regarding the specific nature of the target and the chain of command that authorized the strike. Iranian officials have indicated they will present their findings to the United Nations Security Council in the coming days. Meanwhile, families of the victims await confirmation of the identities of those killed as recovery efforts continue at the wedding site in Kohestak.