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The United States is investigating a deadly strike on an Iranian wedding earlier this week after an analysis by weapons experts suggested the blast likely came from a direct hit by a US munition.

The explosion tore through a wedding celebration in southern Iran on Tuesday. Images and videos verified by Reuters were reviewed by weapons experts, who assessed on Thursday that the damage was more consistent with a direct strike than a ricochet from another target.

The US has not accepted responsibility for the incident. The development comes as President Donald Trump’s administration faces growing domestic pressure to bring the war to an end, with crucial November midterm elections approaching.

Death Toll Rises To Five After Wedding Blast

Iranian state television reported on Thursday that a 22-year-old woman died in hospital following the strike, taking the reported death toll to five. Iranian officials said nearly 70 people were wounded.

The blast struck a home during a wedding in the village of Kuhestak in Sirik County, along Iran’s Strait of Hormuz coast. The area was hit by heavy US airstrikes late on Tuesday.

On Thursday afternoon, mourners gathered outside the village to pay their respects to those killed in the attack. The gathering came as questions mounted over what caused the deadly explosion and whether the US military was responsible.

JD Vance Says US Is Investigating Incident

US Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that Washington was looking into the incident.

“We’re investigating it because obviously we care. We want to know,” Vance told reporters.

Vance also said that if the US military made mistakes, the armed forces would seek to learn from them and improve. “This is a big difference between us and Iran,” he said.

The US military said it was aware of the reports coming from Iran but maintained that it “never targets civilians”.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the government was examining several possible explanations for the casualties. These included the possibility of a US strike, a ricochet from an Iranian air defence missile or an errant interceptor.

Weapons Experts Point To Likely US Munition

The weapons analysis reviewed images and video from the scene and reached a different assessment from some of the possibilities being considered by US officials.

Three experts said the munition was likely a US weapon rather than an errant Iranian air defence missile. One of the experts said the weapon may have simply missed its intended objective.

The findings have added pressure on Washington as it investigates an incident that killed civilians during a wedding celebration. The US government has not acknowledged responsibility for the strike.

The incident also comes about six months after a missile destroyed a primary school in another incident that Iranian officials said killed more than 175 children and teachers.