New US Missile Appears to Have Caused Widespread Civilian Damage in Iran’s Lamerd

WASHINGTON: A U.S. missile believed to be the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), a weapon developed by Lockheed Martin and promoted for its long-range precision capabilities, appears to have caused extensive civilian casualties and damage in the Iranian city of Lamerd, according to an investigation by conflict monitor Airwars reviewed and verified by The Associated Press.

Three missiles struck Lamerd in southern Iran on Feb. 28, the first day of the U.S.-Iran war, with Iranian officials reporting that at least 21 civilians, including seven children, were killed. Airwars’ analysis found that civilians were killed as far as 50 meters from the apparent points of detonation, while damage extended more than three times that distance.

The PrSM is designed to detonate in midair and disperse tens of thousands of dense tungsten pellets at high velocity. Photographs, videos and satellite imagery examined by Airwars and verified by AP showed buildings, streets and vehicles across parts of Lamerd heavily damaged in patterns that weapons experts said were consistent with the missile’s capabilities.

The U.S. military has confirmed that it used PrSM missiles during its operations in Iran but has denied launching the weapons at Lamerd. U.S. Central Command has maintained that its forces did not fire PrSMs or other weapons into the city on Feb. 28 and that the U.S. military does not target civilians.

Six weapons experts interviewed by AP, including two former military officials, said the evidence was consistent with the use of PrSMs in Lamerd and considered it unlikely that the damage was caused by Israeli or Iranian weapons. Experts also cautioned against deploying the missile near densely populated areas because of its potentially wide lethal effect.

The investigation found no clear evidence that military personnel were killed or that military infrastructure was struck in the affected areas. An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps compound is located nearby, but satellite imagery examined by investigators did not show damage to the facility.

The PrSM is intended to replace the U.S. Army Tactical Missile System. Lockheed Martin says the missile can strike targets more than 499 kilometers away, compared with approximately 300 kilometers for the older system. The United States has substantially expanded investment in the weapon, while the United Kingdom and Australia have also committed to acquiring or supporting the system.

The findings have renewed scrutiny over the use of advanced precision weapons in or near populated areas, particularly as the United States continues its military campaign against Iran and tensions remain high across the region.