Updated

A reported US military strike on a wedding celebration in southern Iran this week killed at least four people, including children, prompting Iran to call it a 'war crime' while the US denied targeting civilians. US Vice President JD Vance said Washington is investigating the incident 'very fully' but insisted there is no 'war' with Iran, even as Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref vowed an 'asymmetrical' and 'multi-layered' response. Iran subsequently launched missiles and drones at US targets in the region, and the US carried out a further strike on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz—its first known strike since late July—killing two people, marking one of the largest flare-ups since the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding was signed. Amid the escalation, Vance said the US will not negotiate with Iran until it stops striking ships in the Strait of Hormuz, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that toppling the Iranian regime is Israel's 'central mission' and that the goal is 'within reach.' Israeli intelligence reportedly suggests Iran and Hamas are stepping up efforts to target Israelis abroad ahead of Jewish holidays, underscoring the widening regional stakes of the confrontation.