Explosions heard near Iran's Bandar Abbas port, one day after US strikes announced

WASHINGTON, United States — Explosions were reported near Iran's southern port of Bandar Abbas, one day after the US Central Command announced a new wave of strikes targeting Iran's military capabilities, according to local reports. Iranian authorities had not issued an official statement on whether the explosions were connected to US operations. Bandar Abbas port sits near the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which a significant share of global oil shipments pass, giving the facility strategic importance as one of Iran's main commercial and shipping hubs. The port handles a large share of Iran's maritime trade and is also home to naval facilities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Details on the source, scope and possible damage from the explosions remained limited. Iranian authorities had not released an official statement, and further clarification from both Washington and Tehran was awaited. No additional information was immediately available on casualties or the specific targets affected.