New US Ballistic Missile Linked to Civilian Deaths in Lamerd

Munitions experts, following analysis of footage and impact sites, identified the weapon as the Lockheed Martin-manufactured PrSM. Unlike traditional explosives, these missiles are engineered to detonate midair, showering targets with lethal tungsten pellets. Verified video shows a midair fireball over a residential area in Lamerd, while post-strike imagery reveals structures riddled with high-velocity perforations.

The attack on the Lamerd sports hall claimed the lives of children, including volleyball players Helma Ahmadizadeh and Elham Zaeri. For grieving parents like Hossein Gholami, who lost his 16-year-old daughter, Zahra, the event remains a visceral trauma of shattered glass, rubble, and the overwhelming scent of burns. Defense intelligence firms, including Janes and McKenzie Intelligence, have confirmed the weapon's use, citing the distinct size and shape of the resulting explosions.

While Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Dan Caine praised the military for conducting strikes with “precision and determination,” the Pentagon has offered a more cautious response. A US Central Command spokesperson stated that officials are reviewing the reports, maintaining that American forces do not intentionally target civilians. This incident follows a separate, mass-casualty strike on a school in Minab, where fragments of a Tomahawk cruise missile were recovered, further intensifying scrutiny of the ongoing military campaign.