Malu Cursino
Live reporter

Iran's foreign ministry said strikes which resulted in four deaths, including two children, at a wedding ceremony in Sirik county were a "war crime".

A further 67 people were injured, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, after shrapnel from a US missile hit a house in southern Iran.

US Central Command told the BBC it's "looking into" Iranian media reports about the strikes, but added "the US military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC".

A weapons expert consulted by BBC Verify said images shared online following the attack show fragments of a cruise missile used by US forces.

In response to the US strikes, Tehran launched missile and drone attacks at American targets across the Middle East - including in Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq and Bahrain.

Unlike earlier strikes over the weekend, this latest confrontation between the US and Iran marks a serious military escalation, the BBC's Middle East correspondent writes.

In an interview with Fox News about the state of the war, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged "everyone" to stop trading with Iran, adding that sanctions will "asphyxiate the regime".

Iranian economists have warned of the possibility of hyperinflation in the coming months, but Central Bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati played down the likelihood of that - though he did acknowledge worsening economic hardship, the BBC's Jiyar Gol explains.

We are now wrapping up our live coverage, but you can read more on the latest about this story.

US Central Command (Centcom) has issued an updated statement on Iranian media reports of a US strike on a wedding ceremony in Kuhestak, Sirik county, yesterday evening.

Centcom spokesperson US Navy Capt Tim Hawkins says the command is "looking into" the reports.

He reiterates Centcom's previous comments that "the US military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC".

Michael Race
Business and economics reporter, New York

Image source, Reuters

Today, US bonds hit a fresh high of 4.79% on borrowing over 10 years, the highest level since October 2023.

The main driver of borrowing spikes has been increased prices for oil.

Investors on global financial markets fear inflation will erode purchasing power and so demand higher yields to buy up government debt.

On Tuesday, a barrel of Brent crude, which is the global benchmark for oil prices, was $94.

That's the highest level it has been in six weeks and higher oil prices affect the prices of everything.

Goods transported around the world on vehicles, ships and planes, all require fuel.

Typically as it becomes more expensive to transport goods or manufacture them, then costs are passed on down the supply chain, ultimately hitting the pocket of the consumer.

Two people were killed after a Saudi Arabian ship was involved in a "security incident" while crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.

In a post on X, Saudi Arabia's national shipping company, Bahri, today confirms two Filipino seafarers were killed as a result of the incident.

The company says it "remains in continuous contact with the vessel and is coordinating closely with the relevant authorities".

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry has blamed Iran for the attack, condemning Tehran for also targeting Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait. In a statement shared on X, the ministry calls for de-escalation in the region and a return to negotiations.

Earlier, we reported the US military said it was aware of reports of a US strike on a wedding ceremony, but says it never targets civilians.

This has now been reiterated by US Central Command spokesperson Navy Capt Tim Hawkins, who tells the BBC: "We are aware of reports, which originated from Iranian state media. The US military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC."

The Iranian Red Crescent Society says the attack overnight killed four people, with Iranian media reporting two children were among the dead, and a further 67 people were injured.

Warning over hyperinflation in Iran as authorities seek to suppress dissentpublished at 15:19 BST

15:19 BST

Jiyar Gol
BBC World Affairs Correspondent

The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has hurt Iran’s own economy, putting further pressure on ordinary people already struggling with high inflation and a sharply depreciating currency.

Iranian economists have warned about the possibility of hyperinflation in the coming months. Central Bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati has played down the likelihood of Iran entering hyperinflation as low but acknowledged rising inflation and worsening economic hardship.

And the government has been forced to print more money - a measure that could add further inflationary pressure.

Iranian authorities are also deeply concerned about dissent at home. In recent months, protesters detained during January’s mass uprising have been executed.

Critics see the executions as part of an attempt to deter young Iranians from returning to the streets, exactly the kind of internal pressure that Israel and the United States have hoped could weaken the regime.

There is also growing disillusionment among some Iranians who initially hoped US and Israeli military action might ultimately bring an end to the Islamic Republic. Earlier this year, President Trump told Iranians that “help is on the way".

Instead, Iranians have seen their country’s infrastructure attacked, their economy further damaged and Washington eventually return to negotiations with the same government some had hoped the US would help remove.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the US will "asphyxiate" the Iranian regime through sanctions, as he repeated calls for "friends and foes" to stop trading with Tehran.

In an interview with Fox News, he was asked about reports that Moscow is supporting Iran, to which he said his message to "everyone" is to stay away from Iran.

"The fastest way for the conflict to end is for no one to provide any support to this regime", Bessent says

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has told broadcaster CNBC that oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday hit more than 17 million barrels per day - a record since the Iran war began in late February.

Wright says Iran is losing its ability to “hold the world economic hostage” as the US military helps oil tankers through the strait, he adds that Tehran is “causing some disruption”.

Since the US and Israel attacked Iran in February, Tehran has largely blocked the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes.

Image source, Reuters

A little earlier, we reported the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the US Consulate General in Dubai issued a warning to American nationals against the dangers of "unforeseen escalation" in the region.

The US Embassy in Riyadh has now issued its own guidance, urging US citizens to "exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions".

Earlier, the US embassy in Abu Dhabi also warned of the potential for unforeseen escalation amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

Trump's shifting messages on Iranpublished at 14:26 BST

14:26 BST

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter

Image source, Reuters

In a Truth Social post last night, US President Donald Trump seemed to renew his call for the Iranian people to "rise up and fight" against the government of the Islamic Republic.

His post is not the first time he has sent out this sort of message.

Just hours after US and Israeli strikes began during Operation Epic Fury in late February, Trump told Iranians to "take over your government".

Even before the war began, Trump took to social media to encourage large-scale protests that were taking place in Iran, telling Iranians to "take over your institutions" and promising "help" that never materialised.

But as the conflict with Iran dragged on well beyond Trump's initial public estimate of weeks, the US president seemed to move away from the idea of Iranians deposing the government, saying he "never cared about regime change" and characterising the killing of top Iranian officials as a sort of change which led to more "rational" leaders taking charge.

Some in Washington will read his post as both a sign of frustration that the conflict is still simmering, as well as a sign that the US strategy now appears to be to choke Iran economically until the populace rebels against the government in Tehran.

Iranian media has been reporting the names of the four victims of the alleged US strike on a wedding ceremony in Sirik county, close to the Strait of Hormuz.

Citing the Hormozgan Governorate, they name them as Zarkhatoon Taheri, 50; Kolsum Mallahi Nazhdnia, 43; Mohammad Mallahi, 16; and Amirali Karimi, 4.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) earlier said the victims included one child.

Iran leadership showing signs of split over future of conflict with USpublished at 13:48 BST

13:48 BST

Jiyar Gol
BBC World Affairs Correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Gauging the Iranian public’s reaction to the renewed escalation between the United States and Iran is difficult. Many Iranians are afraid to express their views openly for fear of persecution.

But among those who dare to speak out, there is considerable anger towards the authorities, with many blaming the government for dragging the country into a war with the world’s most powerful military.

Meanwhile, the country’s military leadership remains defiant. The IRGC has warned regional governments of dangerous consequences if they allow the United States to use their territory to launch attacks against Iran.

Hardliners are also demanding continued attacks on US bases and interests across the region and opposing further negotiations.

But yesterday President Masoud Pezeshkian struck a different tone, saying Iran is prepared to return to negotiations if Washington returns to the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in June.

That contrast points to a growing debate within Iran’s leadership over the way forward: Renewed diplomacy with Washington or continued military confrontation.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has written to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, denouncing US strikes that reportedly hit a wedding ceremony in southern Iran.

In its letter, the Red Crescent says four people, including one child, were killed as a result of the air strike. A further 67 people are injured, it adds.

The IRCS says the strike took place around 21:30 local time (19:00 BST) on Tuesday, when a wedding ceremony was under way in Kuhestak, Sirik county.

"Given the critical condition of some of the injured, the number of fatalities may increase," it adds in a statement shared on Telegram.

As the wedding was a civilian event, the IRCS says it raises concerns under international humanitarian law and "warrants an independent, impartial, thorough, and effective investigation".

• As a reminder, the US military has acknowledged reports of the strike but says it never targets civilians

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei describes the ongoing conflict as an “unlawful war of choice”.

In a post on X, he shares footage of the aftermath of an alleged US strike on a house hosting a wedding ceremony - saying that "the truth of America's illegal war against Iran was revealed last night".

In a further post, Baqaei adds that the video shows "the true face of the war crime".

The Iranian Red Crescent has said four people - including a child - were killed at a wedding celebration when shrapnel from a US missile hit a house in southern Iran.

The US military has said it's aware of reports about the strike but it never targets civilians.

Image source, Reuetrs

• 28 February 2026 - The US and Israel begin large-scale strikes on Iran, killing the country's supreme leader. Tehran attacks Israeli and US allies across the Gulf
• 1 March -Iran restricts commercial passage through the Strait of Hormuz
• 8 March - Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is chosen as his successor
• 7 April - Iran and the US agree to a conditional two-week ceasefire, during which shipping traffic will be allowed through the Strait of Hormuz
• 21 April - Trump extends the ceasefire indefinitely but keeps the US naval blockade of Iran in place
• 17 June - A Memorandum of Understanding establishes 60 days of talks and the US removes its blockade
• 7 July - The US and Iran exchange another wave of strikes, and the US reinstates its naval blockade of Iran
• 24 July - US strikes are paused
• 30 August - Iran and the US trade strikes after American forces attacked two rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz
• 1 September - Iran launches missile and drone attacks at US targets across the Middle East, after American forces resumed strikes against Iran

Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem

The latest strikes appear to be more widespread, and more intense, than witnessed at the very start of this week.

Americans have said they were targeting Iran's military assets, air defences and mine-laying capabilities. Iran says it attacked US regional allies – in the Gulf and Jordan – with missiles and drones. This all looks like a serious military escalation.

It comes after a month in which there were no reports of strikes carried out by either side.

Washington had been indicating it was switching to a campaign of financial isolation, getting ready to pile sanctions on Iran and those who do business with it.

Then on Sunday, the US fired at two Iranian rocket launchers it said were being prepared to fire sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Iran to retaliate.

Pakistan's foreign ministry says Islamabad is in touch with the US and Iran to end the conflict.

The ministry's spokesman, Tahir Andrabi, says Pakistan is confident Tehran and Washington will "return to the table for dialogue".

Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator during the ongoing war.

Citing his country's chief of defence forces visit to Iran last month, Andrabi says the talks created "considerable momentum" on matters relating to the Strait of Hormuz.

• Read more: How Pakistan won over Trump to become an unlikely mediator in the Iran war

Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian

Image source, Daniel Torok/The White House

While there have been no official meetings between Iranian and US officials recently, there have reportedly been visits to Tehran by regional mediators such as Pakistan, Oman and Qatar.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said yesterday that Tehran would immediately resume implementing the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in June if Washington returned to its own commitments under the agreement.

But he made these remarks before last night’s US attacks on Iran, and this morning the message from Iran’s Armed Forces and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been one of defiance and retaliation.

Iran has repeatedly accused the US of breaching the agreements in the MoU, while Washington has accused Tehran of attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US is also continuing its naval blockade of Iran, which has affected the country’s ability to export oil.

Inside Iran, there is renewed economic pressure after Washington announced a fresh sanctions campaign on 24 August, aimed at further isolating Tehran and expanding secondary sanctions on its allies.

Iranian officials and state media have largely dismissed the campaign as a continuation of previous US economic measures, arguing that they came after what they call Washington’s military failure in the recent conflict.

Weapons expert says US missile used in reported wedding strikepublished at 11:41 BST

11:41 BST

By Merlyn Thomas

A weapons expert consulted by BBC Verify says images shared online following the attack which reportedly struck a wedding in Iran show fragments of a cruise missile used by US forces.

N R Jenzen Jones, director of Armament Research Services (Ares), identified the remnants of a fin in pictures from Kuhestak shared by Iranian state TV as being from an AGM-84 Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM-ER).

Image source, IRIB

The US Navy describes the SLAM-ER as being an air-launched “precision strike missile that provides a long range option for pre-planned and target of opportunity missions against land and sea targets”.

“The SLAM-ER was developed as a very precise weapon and, unlike many other munitions, is capable of being re-targeted in flight... There are a handful of known operators of the weapon, including the United States," Trevor Ball, a weapons analyst tells BBC Verify.