It was supposed to be a night of celebration in Kouhestak, a coastal town in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province.
Families had gathered at a residential home for a wedding ceremony known locally as Heysh. Women arrived in colourful dresses, children played among the guests and men prepared for the celebrations.
The gathering turned deadly when an American Hellfire missile struck the building, killing at least five people, including a child, and wounding 68 others, according to the Iranian Red Crescent.
Al Jazeera reported that the attack came amid renewed US strikes on southern Iran. The incident has also drawn attention to previous cases in which wedding gatherings were reported to have been hit during US military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen.
Paktia, Afghanistan, December 2001
One of the earliest reported cases came shortly after the US invasion of Afghanistan.
In late December 2001, US aircraft attacked the village of Qalaye Niazi in Paktia province. US officials said they were targeting a compound believed to contain Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders.
Villagers said a wedding was taking place in the area and that relatives had travelled from across the region for the celebrations.
The Los Angeles Times later reported that villagers found children's shoes, school books, human remains and wedding decorations among the ruins, villagers estimated more than 100 people had been killed.
Khost, Afghanistan, May 2002
In May 2002, a wedding gathering in Khost province was caught up in fighting during Operation Condor.
Local reports said guests had fired weapons into the air as part of the celebrations. US military officials said their forces had come under fire and maintained that the target was a ridge where gunmen were operating.
At least 10 people were reported killed. The US military acknowledged the deaths but disputed accounts that the victims were wedding guests.
Uruzgan, Afghanistan - July 2002
On July 1, 2002, US aircraft attacked an area in Kakarak village, Uruzgan province, where a wedding celebration was taking place.
Witnesses said guests had fired weapons into the air during the celebrations. Afghan officials and residents reported that large numbers of civilians were killed.
The attack involved an AC-130 gunship and B-52 bombers. Reports cited by Press TV said nearly 100 civilians were killed, including women and children.
Then-President Hamid Karzai called for a review of US military tactics, while the United Nations called for an investigation.
Mukaradeeb, Iraq, May 2004
On May 19, 2004, a wedding gathering in Mukaradeeb, in Iraq's western Anbar province, was attacked.
According to Iraqi officials and hospital authorities cited in reports, 42 people were killed, including 11 women and 14 children.
Associated Press television footage showed wedding celebrations at the site hours before the attack, including people dancing and singing in decorated tents. Survivors and relatives were among those killed.
Nangarhar, Afghanistan, July 2008
On July 6, 2008, a wedding party travelling towards the groom's home near Kacu village in Deh Bala district, Nangarhar province, was struck by US aircraft.
The group included women and children accompanying the bride.
An investigation ordered by President Hamid Karzai found that 47 members of the wedding party had been killed, including 39 women and children. The bride was among those killed, while nine others were wounded.
The Guardian put the death toll at more than 50 and said cluster bombs had been used. US officials initially denied killing civilians but later acknowledged what they described as a mistake.
Laghman, Afghanistan, August 2008
Weeks later, an American airstrike struck a house in Laghman province where a wedding-related gathering was taking place.
Sixteen Afghans were killed, including 12 members of the family hosting the wedding, according to accounts cited by Press TV.
Al-Bayda, Yemen, December 2013
On December 12, 2013, a wedding procession travelling through Yemen's al-Bayda province was struck by an American drone.
The convoy consisted of 11 vehicles carrying people accompanying the newlyweds to the groom's village.
Press TV reported that four Hellfire missiles struck the convoy, killing at least 12 men and injuring 14 others, including the bride.
A survivor, Mohammed Abdullah al-Taisi, told investigators that he heard a blast before two more missiles struck the convoy.
Helmand, Afghanistan, September 2019
On September 23, 2019, an airstrike struck a building hosting a wedding function in Musa Qala district of Helmand province.
Up to 40 civilians were reported killed and 18 wounded, with women and children among the casualties.
According to reports cited by Press TV, some victims were travelling in vehicles carrying wedding guests.
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