US lawmakers press Pentagon over civilian deaths in Iran

A United States air strike on September 1 killed five civilians, including two children, at a wedding in Kuhestak, in Iran's Hormozgan province, according to a statement by Democratic Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari. In a post on X, Ansari described the incident as "the latest in a horrifying pattern of civilian casualties" resulting from what she called the "disastrous and illegal war" in Iran pursued by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Ansari also pointed to a February 28 strike on a school in Minab, also in Hormozgan province, which she said killed 120 children. She did not provide further details on the circumstances of either strike, and there was no immediate public response from the Pentagon to her remarks.

The congresswoman's comments add to scrutiny of US military operations in Iran, where strikes have drawn concern over civilian harm. The February 28 school strike in Minab and the September 1 wedding strike in Kuhestak are the two incidents she cited as examples of a broader pattern.

According to Mehr News, the statements by the US lawmaker underscored ongoing questions about the conduct of the campaign and its impact on non-combatants in Iran.