U.S. Central Command is investigating reports of civilian casualties from a strike on Iran’s Qeshm Island that Iranian officials say killed a family of three, including a 2-year-old child, according to a statement from CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins released on August 3.
The strike occurred on July 30 during a heavy wave of U.S. attacks on Iran. Iranian officials told the New York Times that the strike hit a family home, killing a husband, wife, and their young son, while two other children in the household survived. A New York Times analysis of videos and satellite imagery determined the weapon used was likely a 2,000-pound Mark-84 bomb, one of the largest conventional bombs in the U.S. arsenal.
Weapons experts examined the size of the crater and munitions fragments found at the site to reach their conclusion. The strike’s location and timing were consistent with when and where U.S. forces were operating, according to the Times. No military targets were located near the home, and Iranian authorities reported no military casualties from the strike.
Approximately 20 neighboring families were displaced by the strike, and debris landed more than 200 feet away from the crater, according to Iranian officials cited by the Times. When asked about the investigation, Hawkins stated, “We are aware of the reports and looking into them. The US military never targets civilians.” CENTCOM did not provide details about the intended target, what munitions were used, or what precautions were taken to protect civilians.
The investigation comes as CENTCOM faces scrutiny over its civilian harm review process. In 2025, the command’s civilian-harm reduction office was reduced from 10 full-time staff members to just one, according to a letter from Senate Democrats to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, previously stated in May 2026 that there was “one active civilian casualty investigation from the 13,629 munitions” fired during the campaign.
A comparable precedent occurred in March 2026, when a U.S. strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab killed approximately 175 people, including more than 120 children. That incident prompted CENTCOM to designate an investigating officer to conduct a command investigation, though the findings have not been publicly released. Congressional lawmakers have repeatedly pressed CENTCOM leadership to disclose the results of that investigation and to explain the reduced capacity of the civilian harm office.
Sources
- The Jerusalem Post — CENTCOM investigation statement, bomb analysis, casualty claims, and displaced families
- New York Times — Weapons analysis, satellite imagery, crater assessment, and Mark-84 bomb identification
- The Hill — CENTCOM civilian-harm office reduction from 10 to 1 employee
- Senate Democrats letter via Warren office — Confirmation of staffing cuts to civilian harm team
- Democracy Now — Admiral Brad Cooper statement on active investigations
- Politico and multiple outlets — March 2026 Minab school strike precedent and casualty figures
