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Iran-US war latest: Vance says ‘sometimes things happen’ after US accused of killing five in wedding strike
Vice president rejects characterisation of Iran conflict as a ‘war’ and claims that major combat operations only lasted ‘about six weeks’
JD Vance has faced backlash after appearing to dismiss reports that a US strike killed five people, including two children, at a wedding gathering in southern Iran.
When asked about whether a US strike was responsible, he said “sometimes things happen”.
He said: “I will say that the Iranian state media has not been a very good scribe about what’s happened in the conflict thus far, so I’m extremely sceptical of this.”
The toll was confirmed not by the Iranian government but by the Iranian Red Crescent, a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
“What I can say with 100% confidence is that, unlike the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] IRGC, the United States never targets civilians in combat,” Vance said. “We never will do that. We never have done that, and unfortunately, obviously, sometimes things happen.”
Meanwhile, president Donald Trump insisted he had done the “right thing” with the war.
It comes amid fears Trump is planning to extend Washington’s war on Iran, after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon was extending the presence of troops in the Middle East into next year.
Evidence points to US weapon in deadly strike on Iran wedding celebration
The United States is investigating a deadly strike on a wedding gathering in southern Iran after weapons experts reviewing verified images and video concluded the blast was likely caused by a direct hit from a U.S. munition, Vice President JD Vance said Thursday.
Five people have died following Tuesday's strike on a home hosting the celebration, according to Iranian state television, which reported Thursday that a 22-year-old woman had died from her injuries. Iranian officials said nearly 70 others were wounded.
Speaking to reporters Thursday, Vance confirmed U.S. authorities were examining what happened.
"We're investigating it because obviously we care. We want to know," Vance said.
Evidence points to US weapon in deadly strike on Iran wedding celebration
Vice President JD Vance said that the United States was investigating a deadly strike on an Iranian wedding earlier this week
James Reynolds4 September 2026 11:00
Trump claims US has ‘unlimited’ munitions amid Iran war concerns
Donald Trump has denied persistent reports that the Iran war has dangerously depleted the U.S. weapons stockpile, blasting the media for what he claimed was false reporting on the state of the American arsenal.
“For the treasonous SCUM that refuses to accurately report on our Military Operation in Iran, we have virtually unlimited amounts of Mid to High Grade Ammunition, far more than we could ever use for this, or for any other War (which is highly unlikely!), that could improbably take place,” he wrote Thursday on Truth Social.
“In addition, we are producing Munitions at levels never seen before,” he added. “We are stockpiling and preparing for any contingency that could happen.”
Trump claims US has ‘unlimited’ munitions and slams media for reporting low stockpile
The White House and NATO have denied a shortage of critical weapons
James Reynolds4 September 2026 10:31
In focus: Sailors on USS Abraham Lincoln describe ‘the worst deployment’
US service members assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln are speaking out about their record-long, nearly nine-month deployment at sea, during which they supported the ongoing Iran war.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier — some of whose crew had reportedly suffered from deteriorating mental health — laid anchor off Thailand this week, affording its 5,000 sailors and Marines their first port call in 286 days.
While on shore in the resort town of Pattaya, some service members spoke with MS NOW Pentagon Correspondent Priya Sridhar, who recounted her discussions with them during a subsequent on-camera interview.
Read the full report:
Sailors on USS Abraham Lincoln describe ‘the worst deployment’ as they dock
While in the resort town of Pattaya, some service members expressed that their main priority was FaceTiming their loved ones
James Reynolds4 September 2026 10:00
Watch: White House launches arcade games based on Trump's agenda
James Reynolds4 September 2026 09:26
This morning: Asian benchmarks mostly rise after tech stocks lead rally on Wall Street
Asian shares were mostly higher in early Friday trading, as regional market sentiment got a boost from the rally on Wall Street, mostly from big technology stocks.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.6% in morning trading to 64,622.33. South Korea's Kospi gained 0.9% to 6,635.67. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was little changed, slipping less than 0.1% to 9,011.80. Hong Kong's Hang Seng jumped 2.1% to 25,751.26, while the Shanghai Composite added 0.8% to 3,973.27.
Stocks on Wall Street closed higher Thursday as a recent run-up in bond yields eased further and big technology companies rallied. The S&P 500 rose 1.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.2%, and the Nasdaq composite closed 1.4% higher.
The latest:
Asian benchmarks mostly rise after tech stocks lead rally on Wall Street
Asian shares are mostly higher as regional market sentiment got a boost from the rally on Wall Street, led by tech stocks
James Reynolds4 September 2026 09:00
Shipping traffic through Hormuz well below normal, Kpler data says
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained well below normal on Thursday, with only four commodity vessels crossing the key waterway, according to preliminary Kpler data cited by Reuters.
That was down from nine crossings the day before and well below the 10-day average of about 15.
The vessels included two medium-range tankers, a Kamsarmax tanker and a Handysize vessel.
Maroosha Muzaffar4 September 2026 08:20
Vance refuses to give a deadline to end US war on Iran
JD Vance has declined to give a timeline for ending the US war on Iran, while downplaying the conflict by saying there was no active shooting and major combat had lasted only about six weeks.
“I wouldn’t call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting,” Vance said. He added: “I recognise there have been places where this has flared up.”
“When you ask, ‘When will this end?’, you’re asking me a question like: When will the Iranians stop shooting at ships?” Vance told reporters.
“I think the reality is, I don’t know the answer to that question. You’d have to ask the Iranians.”
His remarks come after days of intense fighting between the US and Iran.
Maroosha Muzaffar4 September 2026 08:00
Israel says economic pressure on Iran could push the regime to take ‘desperate steps’
Israel’s defence minister has warned that growing economic pressure could push Tehran to take more desperate measures.
“We see signs indicating that the heavy economic pressure they are under, and the fear of an uprising and the collapse of the regime, may push them to desperate steps,” Israel Katz said.
Earlier, Iran had claimed that it had the capability to manufacture more missile stockpiles and maintained enough in its war against the US“Initially, some believed that Iran had only a limited number of missiles and that its stockpiles would eventually be depleted as the war continued,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson Brig Gen Hossein Mohebbi said.
“However, that assumption proved incorrect, as Iran’s missile capability has remained sustained and its missile production has continued.”
Maroosha Muzaffar4 September 2026 07:40
Trump rejects reports of US weapons stockpiles running low
Donald Trump has rejected reports that US military stockpiles of weapons are running dangerously low as the war with Iran enters its seventh month.
In a post on his Truth Social platform he wrote that the US was producing munitions at “levels never seen before” and has “far more than we could ever use”.
“For the treasonous SCUM that refuses to accurately report on our Military Operation in Iran, we have virtually unlimited amounts of Mid to High Grade Ammunition, far more than we could ever use for this, or for any other War (which is highly unlikely!), that could improbably take place,” Trump wrote.
“In addition, we are producing Munitions at levels never seen before. We are stockpiling and preparing for any contingency that could happen. We are taking them for ourselves, the U.S.A., rather than selling them to others, but the sales to Allies will soon again, begin. Also, please let it be known, that the Biden Administration gave far more Munitions away to Ukraine, at no cost to them, whatsoever, than we have used in Iran.”
Maroosha Muzaffar4 September 2026 07:20
Kuwait says their air defences intercepted ‘blatant Iranian aggression’
Iran fired missiles and drones towards Kuwait yesterday, with Kuwaiti air defences intercepting the attacks.
The Kuwait defence ministry wrote on X that their air defences intercepted missiles and drones during a “blatant Iranian aggression”.
Bahrain and Jordan also reported intercepting Iranian attacks.
Maroosha Muzaffar4 September 2026 07:00
