UN Raises Questions Over US Strikes on Civilians in Southern Iran

A United Nations fact-finding mission has raised serious questions about US compliance with international law after confirming that a US airstrike hit a wedding ceremony in southern Iran on September 1, killing five people, including children, and injuring dozens more. The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran said the incident raised concerns over whether all necessary precautions were being taken to protect civilians during the ongoing hostilities.

Mission expert Max du Plessis said repeated airstrikes resulting in civilian casualties raised questions about states’ obligations under international law, including the requirement to take all feasible measures to avoid civilian deaths. Mission Chair Sara Hossain said the strikes were a “devastating reminder” of the human cost of the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, stressing that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times.

The UN mission also cited a July 30 US strike on a residential home in the southern port of Qeshm that killed a man, a woman and their two-year-old son and injured two other children. Expert member Viviana Krsticevic called for in-depth reviews of attacks involving civilians to establish the facts, ensure accountability and provide justice and reparations to victims. The statement also referenced the February 28 US-Israeli attacks in Hormozgan Province, where a strike on a school reportedly killed nearly 160 students and staff.