WASHINGTON/TEHRAN — Tensions between US and Iran sharply escalated after Washington launched a fresh wave of strikes against Iranian targets, with Bandar Abbas and areas around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz emerging as key locations in the latest military operation.
US Central Command said American forces began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran on Tuesday, calling the action as a response to what Washington said were recent attempted attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US service members deployed in the region.
US forces reportedly carried out “precise defensive strikes” against sites in Bandar Abbas, Iran’s major southern port city. US military forces were also conducting strikes on targets around the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported multiple explosions east of Bandar Abbas, while blasts were also heard on Qeshm Island, located near the Strait of Hormuz. More than five explosions were reportedly heard around the village of Masan on Qeshm Island, with another four blasts reported in the Qeshm area facing the strategic waterway.
The reports came as the US military intensified operations around the strait, raising fresh concerns that the latest confrontation could further disrupt one of the world’s most important maritime routes.
A senior official in Hormozgan governorate, where Bandar Abbas is located, said there were no casualties or incidents reported so far, according to the information available at the time.
CENTCOM said that, as of September 1, US forces had redirected 84 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two as part of Washington’s enforcement of its blockade against Iran.
It shows growing military pressure around the Strait of Hormuz, where commercial shipping has already been severely affected. Reuters reported that only five vessels crossed the strait on Monday, well below the recent average, and no liquid tankers were among them.
Dozens of US fighter aircraft were operating over Iran as the latest strikes unfolded, although details of the aircraft involved and the full scope of the operation remained unclear.
The fresh attacks follow an earlier US strike on rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran subsequently launched missiles toward US positions in Jordan, while the United Arab Emirates said it intercepted an Iranian drone over its waters. The escalation has also triggered renewed security concerns for Americans across the region.
US diplomatic missions in the Middle East have issued fresh security warnings, with alerts appearing on embassy websites amid reports of Iranian strikes involving Bahrain, Qatar and Israel.
The latest developments mark another dangerous turn in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran, with Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island and the Strait of Hormuz once again at the center of a rapidly intensifying military crisis.
News Desk
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