Explosions have been reported across southern Iran, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between Tehran and Washington. Iranian state media confirmed multiple blasts in the port city of Bushehr — home to Iran’s only nuclear power plant — with local authorities attributing the strikes to the United States.
Bushehr and Bandar Abbas Targeted
According to Ehsan Jahaniyan, deputy governor of Bushehr Province, four locations in the city were struck by ‘hostile missiles’ at around 11:30 a.m. local time (11:30 a.m. EEST), as reported by the official IRNA news agency. The state-run television also reported five explosions near the Strait of Hormuz, in the vicinity of Bandar Abbas — a strategic port city that has repeatedly come under U.S. military focus in recent days.
‘A few minutes ago, five explosions were heard west of Bandar Abbas,’ the broadcaster stated, without providing further details.
Additional Strikes Across Southern Iran
Later on July 14, 2026, U.S. forces reportedly launched further strikes in southwestern Iran — targeting oil infrastructure near the borders with Iraq and Kuwait. Valiollah Hayati, deputy governor of Khuzestan Province, told IRNA that the cities of Abadan — home to the largest oil refinery in the Middle East — and Mahshahr, a key petrochemical hub, were both hit.
Diplomatic Tensions Mount
In parallel, Iran condemned a proposed UK bill aimed at designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — the ideological armed wing of the Islamic Republic — as a threat to national security. The Iranian Foreign Ministry called the move ‘unjustified, irresponsible, and contrary to fundamental principles of international law.’
Tanker Incident Off Oman Coast
Meanwhile, the chemical tanker Stolt Magnesium was damaged by an unconfirmed external explosion while sailing in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Oman. A fire broke out following the blast, according to Stolt Tankers, the company managing the vessel.