Explosions hit the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas and nearby Qeshm Island, known for its underground missile facilities, as the US Central Command completed another series of strikes aimed at weakening Iran’s military capabilities. These actions followed increased exchanges of retaliatory attacks between Iranian and US forces after the collapse of previous diplomatic agreements.
Bandar Abbas holds strategic significance due to its location on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for global oil shipments. Qeshm Island, heavily guarded by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, houses ballistic missile installations critical to Iran’s defense. The US military reported striking dozens of targets, including air-defense systems, coastal radar stations, missile launch sites, and drone operations using a combination of fighter jets, naval vessels, and novel one-way aerial and sea drones in an effort to disrupt Iranian aggression.
Iran claimed it shot down an American drone over Bandar Abbas, and the regime also reported retaliatory strikes on US installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, along with radar destruction in Oman. Tehran has asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, signaling it has closed the waterway, a claim rejected by Washington but which has pushed oil prices higher. The US insists it will maintain freedom of navigation through the strait despite Iran’s threats and escalating military activity.