Iranian local and state media confirmed that a US attack near Sirik in southern Iran on the nights of September 1-2 resulted in the deaths of civilians, including children. Tehran condemned the attack as a war crime. Ali Akbar Dareini, a researcher at the Tehran Center for Strategic Studies, told Al Jazeera that the attack "cannot be ignored" and Iran must respond. He suggested it could be "a prelude to a larger war" and believes the US is combining sanctions, a naval blockade, and military strikes in an attempt to force Iran to surrender.
