President Donald Trump's Pentagon chief triggered a deluge of backlash Thursday night after a report that American forces struck a civilian highway bridge near Tehran twice on Thursday as Iranian villagers gathered nearby to celebrate the final day of the Persian new year.
A U.S. military official, speaking anonymously to The New York Times, confirmed American forces struck the B1 bridge twice, in what's colloquially called a "double tap," claiming it was a planned military supply route for Iran's missile and drone forces.
Iran's deputy governor of Alborz province flatly rejected the U.S. characterization, telling state media the bridge was not yet operational and that "there was absolutely no military activity on bridge B1." The dead and wounded were reportedly villagers picnicking outdoors to mark a national holiday.
The strikes drew immediate concern from legal experts.
A former State Department lawyer who specialized in the law of armed conflict told the Times the bridge appeared to have been "targeted not to provide any military advantage but in the hopes of coercing Tehran and generating content."
Trump celebrated the strikes on Truth Social, posting a video of the blast and warning Iran to "MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT."
The bridge was part of a civilian highway project connecting Tehran to the Caspian Sea, regularly used for commerce and weekend travel.
Observers reacted with fury on social media.
Former Human Rights Watch director Kenneth Roth alleged the two strikes constituted a "double tap," with the second arriving while emergency responders assisted the wounded, noting that rescue workers are protected civilians under international law.
Former tennis star Martina Navratilova offered a one-word verdict: "Criminal."
Ron Filipkowski, editor in chief of the progressive news outlet Meidas Touch, called it "The US Department of War Crimes."
Podcaster Kyle Kulinski demanded, "IMPEACH & ARREST THIS SICK TERRORIST F--- ALREADY."
Journalist Yara Elmjouie wrote that the strike confirmed the U.S. and Israeli military playbooks had become "one and the same."
Stefan Smith, head of digital engagement at the ACLU, drew a chilling pop culture parallel.
"Double-tapping is, quite literally, what President Coin does in the Hunger Games. It’s how Katniss’ sister dies," he wrote.