Experts say new US missile may have caused fatalities in Iran’s Lamerd

Weapons experts say a US Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was likely used in strikes on residential areas and a sports hall in Lamerd, Iran, on the opening day of the war, killing at least 21 people, the BBC reports.

Iranian state media reported that two separate strikes hit residential buildings and a sports hall about 300 metres apart. Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, declined to comment.

Lamerd, in Fars province, has a population of about 30,000 according to the 2016 census. The town lies amid rugged mountains and is approximately a 14-hour drive from Tehran.

According to the report, CCTV footage published by Iranian state media and verified by the BBC shows a missile in flight moments before it explodes above the target. 

Experts from Janes and McKenzie Intelligence identified the projectile's shape, length, blast pattern, and lack of nose-mounted controls as consistent with the PrSM.

Amael Kotlarski, an analyst with Janes, said the weapon's characteristics and the distance from potential US launch sites suggest the PrSM is likely the only munition in the American arsenal capable of striking Lamerd. 

McKenzie Intelligence also noted that Lamerd falls within the extended range of the missile. 

The US Central Command has previously confirmed using PrSM in strikes from an unnamed Gulf country against Iran in the early stages of the conflict.

The intended target may have been an Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps base located next to the sports hall. Satellite imagery from 9 March did not show visible damage to the base.

The strike occurred just hours after an attack on a school in Minab, reportedly killing at least 168 people, including around 110 children. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the incident was under investigation and emphasised that US forces do not target civilian sites.

The PrSM, manufactured by Lockheed Martin and entering service in 2023, is a new long-range missile with a range of up to 500 kilometres. It succeeds the ATACMS missile, which has a 300-kilometre range and has been used by Ukraine against Russia. 

Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US, praised the missile's use in a press briefing on 13 March, highlighting its precision and reliability.

Footage and photos reviewed by BBC Verify indicate that the sports hall may also have been hit by a PrSM. Videos show a bright explosion, shockwaves shattering nearby windows, and a plume of smoke rising from the building. 

Janes analysts noted that although it is not possible to confirm the weapon from the footage alone, the blast pattern aligns with characteristics of a PrSM warhead.

The sports hall was previously used for school volleyball tournaments and exams. Among the victims was 12-year-old Elham Zaeri, who regularly arrived early to play volleyball, and the youngest victim was reportedly two years old. A mass funeral took place in Lamerd, with hundreds attending and at least 18 coffins draped in the Iranian flag, including that of a young child.

Lockheed Martin describes the PrSM as a mature and low-risk missile. The company declined to comment on the strikes and referred questions to the US government. It recently announced a deal with the Department of Defense to quadruple production of the weapon.