U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance acknowledged the possibility that American forces could have accidentally struck civilians during military operations against Iran. The statement came after reports emerged that an attack may have hit a wedding celebration in southern Iran.
Vance stressed that civilians were not targets of U.S. military operations. However, he acknowledged that mistakes could occur during the execution of attacks and said the incident was being handled through an investigation.
“The United States never targets civilians in combat. We would never do that,” Vance said on Thursday (September 3).
He said military operations inherently involve risks and that mistakes can happen on the battlefield. According to Vance, if U.S. forces made an error, the findings from the evaluation would be used to improve the execution of future operations.
The statement followed reports from Iranian authorities of casualties in an attack in Sirik, Hormozgan Province. According to the latest information released by Iranian authorities, a wedding ceremony on Tuesday night (September 1) was allegedly struck in a U.S. attack. The incident was reported to have killed five people and injured around 70 others.
Vance confirmed that the United States was investigating reports surrounding the incident. The investigation is expected to establish what actually happened and determine whether the attack was connected to U.S. military operations.
The Tuesday night attack was part of a new wave of U.S. military operations against several targets in Iran. The operations were carried out amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the targets included several facilities belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The reported targets included air defense systems, radar stations, naval assets, and communications facilities.
Washington has said the operations were directed at Iran’s military infrastructure and capabilities. However, reports of civilian casualties have increased concerns over the humanitarian consequences of the escalating conflict.
Iran subsequently responded by launching attacks against several U.S. military infrastructure sites in a number of Middle Eastern countries. The retaliatory actions further increased the risk of the conflict spreading across the region.
Vance’s comments regarding the possibility of an accidental strike have drawn attention because of their implications for civilian protection during armed conflict. While the U.S. investigation continues, the reported casualty figures and details surrounding the incident in Sirik remain subject to developments in the rapidly changing situation.
Fajar Santoso is a lifestyle and travel writer at RakyatPost who focuses on culture, tourism, modern living, and destination storytelling across Asia and beyond. With a passion for discovering unique experiences and local traditions, he creates engaging content that inspires readers to explore new places, lifestyles, and perspectives. His writing blends informative journalism with creative storytelling to deliver meaningful and reader-friendly travel and lifestyle coverage.
