Three explosions were reported east of Bandar Abbas early Thursday morning, according to Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency, which said air defense systems in the southern Iranian city were briefly activated following the blasts. Fars, citing local sources, reported that the sounds of the explosions were heard around 1:30 AM local time from the eastern part of Bandar Abbas.
The exact source and location of the explosions were not immediately known, and authorities said investigations were ongoing.
Shortly afterward, Reuters reported that the US military had carried out fresh strikes on an Iranian military site, citing an unnamed US official. According to the report, the operation targeted a site that allegedly posed a threat to US forces and commercial shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
The developments come amid heightened tensions in the region following recent US strikes and increased military activity around Iran’s southern coast.
Bandar Abbas is Iran’s most important maritime gateway, handling nearly 85% of the country’s seaborne trade. The strategic port city sits along the northern coast of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping routes for global oil and commercial traffic.
The United States said it had conducted air and naval strikes on Iranian military targets around Bandar Abbas in what it described as an act of “self-defence” on May 25. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation targeted surface-to-air missile launch sites and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval boats that were allegedly preparing to deploy sea mines in international shipping lanes near the Strait of Hormuz.
Fars also reported that Bandar Abbas air defense systems were activated for a short period following the explosions. Iranian authorities have not yet officially confirmed whether the blasts were directly linked to the reported US strikes.
