Airwars, a nonprofit that monitors civilian casualties from U.S. air operations, says the first combat use of Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) on Feb. 28 caused extensive damage and loss of life in the southern Iranian city of Lamerd. The missile, designed to explode mid‑air and release tens of thousands of tungsten pellets, is being marketed as a next‑generation, long‑range weapon.
Casualties and damage reported
According to Iranian officials and Airwars’ analysis, three PrSM strikes hit Lamerd, detonating above a sports complex and two residential neighborhoods. The blasts killed at least 21 civilians, including seven children. Victims were found up to 50 meters (164 feet) from the detonation points, and damage was observed at distances more than three times farther.
Airwars mapped the blast radius using publicly available photos, videos, satellite imagery, and social‑media posts. The organization measured the distance between where civilians were killed and where the missiles detonated, confirming a wide‑area impact pattern consistent with the PrSM’s design.
Weapon design and concerns
The PrSM is intended to replace the older Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). While ATACMS disperses bomblets, the PrSM creates a cloud of dense tungsten pellets that can pierce soft armor and strike targets in all directions. Experts warn that such a pattern makes the weapon especially hazardous when used near populated areas.
“You would be hard‑pressed to find a reason to use the PrSM in a densely populated area,” said Michael Meier, a former U.S. Army adviser on the laws of war. Former Pentagon adviser Wes Bryant added that the missile’s proper use should be limited to large concentrations of enemy personnel with hard and soft armor.
U.S. response and denials
The U.S. military confirmed that PrSMs were fired during the early stages of the Iran conflict but denied that any were launched into Lamerd. A spokesperson for U.S. Central Command later reiterated the denial, suggesting the footage resembled an Iranian Hoveyzeh cruise missile, a claim contested by weapons experts who noted differences in the missile’s shape.
U.S. Central Command’s commander, Adm. Brad Cooper, told Congress in May that the Pentagon was investigating only one civilian casualty case involving a U.S. strike on an Iranian school in Minab, not the Lamerd incident.
International and commercial context
Since the Lamerd strikes, the Pentagon has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth over $4 billion to increase PrSM production. The United Kingdom has allocated £130 million for procurement, and Australia purchased the missiles in 2025, investing billions of dollars in the program.
While the missile offers new capabilities for the U.S. armed forces, the Lamerd episode underscores the need for careful targeting decisions, especially when civilian populations are nearby.
What this means for families and communities
Families in Lamerd mourn the loss of children and other civilians caught in the blast. The incident highlights the broader humanitarian impact of modern warfare technologies and raises questions about how the U.S. balances military effectiveness with the protection of innocent lives.
As the Trump administration continues to modernize the U.S. arsenal, advocates for civilian protection call for stricter oversight and transparent reporting to ensure that new weapons do not cause unnecessary harm to non‑combatants.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
