**Title: New US ‘Precision’ Missiles Linked to Civilian Casualties in Iran, Report Claims**
A recent investigation by the conflict monitoring group Airwars has revealed that new "precision" missiles used by the United States in southern Iran have resulted in multiple civilian deaths. The report indicates that these strikes, which occurred on February 28 in the city of Lamerd, killed at least 21 civilians, including seven children.
According to Airwars, the missiles involved in these attacks are likely Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), which were deployed during the initial phase of the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The PrSM is designed to explode above ground, dispersing dense tungsten pellets over a wide area, which can significantly increase the potential for collateral damage.
The investigation found that civilian casualties occurred as far as 50 meters from the estimated detonation points, with damage extending up to 150 meters. The strikes impacted two residential neighborhoods and a sports center, raising concerns about the use of such weaponry in densely populated areas. Among the victims was a two-year-old girl who was outside her home when she was struck by shrapnel from one of the missiles. Another strike on a sports hall resulted in the deaths of seven civilians, most of whom were children.
Notably, Airwars reported that no military personnel were killed in the strikes, and there was no evidence of damage to military infrastructure, including a nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps compound, which appeared to be undamaged.
The Associated Press corroborated Airwars’ findings by consulting six weapons experts, including two former military officials, who also concluded that the PrSMs were responsible for the civilian casualties. Michael Meier, a former US Army adviser, expressed skepticism about the justification for using such missiles in populated areas, stating, “You would be hard-pressed to find a reason to use the PrSM in a densely populated area.”
While US Central Command has acknowledged the deployment of PrSMs against Iran, it has denied that any missiles were fired at Lamerd, suggesting instead that an Iranian cruise missile might be responsible for the civilian casualties. However, this assertion has been met with skepticism from the weapons experts consulted by both Airwars and the Associated Press.
The PrSM had recently completed its prototype phase and had not undergone full operational testing before its combat use in Iran. A US Army official later indicated that a deployed unit had exhausted its entire stock of the missiles early in the conflict, prompting the US government to commit billions of dollars to increase production.
The strikes in Lamerd occurred on the same day as a separate US bombing of an elementary school in Minab, which resulted in the deaths of 175 people, predominantly children. This pattern of civilian casualties has led Tehran to repeatedly accuse Washington of war crimes in the context of the ongoing conflict.
Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated in recent days, with direct hostilities resuming after a month-long pause. Following a US strike on Iran’s Larak Island, Tehran retaliated by launching missiles and drones at US military facilities in Jordan. In response, US President Donald Trump has threatened further military action, stating that Washington would “hit Iran hard.”
As the situation continues to develop, the implications of the use of precision missiles in urban environments raise significant ethical and humanitarian concerns, particularly regarding the protection of civilian lives in conflict zones.