The US military carried out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm port and Bandar Abbas on Thursday, according to a Fox News reporter citing a senior US official.
The official said the strikes did not mean the war was restarting or that the April 7 ceasefire had ended.
The strikes came as Washington awaited Tehran’s response to a US proposal aimed at halting fighting, while leaving major disputes, including Iran’s nuclear programme, unresolved for now.
Fars news agency said residents heard multiple blasts near Bandar Abbas, though the exact source and location remained unclear.
Fars later reported that parts of the commercial section of Bahman pier were hit during what it described as an exchange of fire between Iranian armed forces and “enemy forces.”
Bahman pier and IRGC activity under focus
Tasnim news agency also reported explosions in Bandar Abbas and Qeshm, citing local sources.
Some sources told Tasnim the sounds may have been linked to IRGC Navy operations warning vessels over alleged unauthorized passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tasnim also reported signs of possible “hostile action” by the UAE at the pier, but there was no official confirmation.
Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported an explosion at Bahman passenger pier on Qeshm Island, a site Iranian media said had previously been targeted during the war.
Iran reports missile fire in Strait of Hormuz
IRIB separately cited an informed military source as saying Iranian missile fire targeted “enemy units” in the Strait of Hormuz after what it called a US attack on an Iranian oil tanker.
The source claimed the units were forced to retreat.
Mehr news agency said the nature and scale of the incident remained under investigation, with no official body yet commenting on the explosions.
A Mehr correspondent said the blasts appeared linked to clashes in waters off Sirik county.
CENTCOM says US acted in self-defense
US Central Command said its forces intercepted “unprovoked” Iranian attacks and responded with “self-defense strikes” as US warships moved through the Strait of Hormuz toward the Gulf of Oman.
CENTCOM said no US assets were struck as three US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the area.
It said US forces targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacks, including missile and drone launch sites, command-and-control locations, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes.
Fox News also reported that the US military struck Iran’s Bandar Kargan naval checkpoint in Minab.
The same senior US official said Saudi Arabia and Kuwait had briefly halted permission for the US to use their bases and airspace for “Project Freedom,” but that the decision had since been reversed.
The US had earlier suspended Project Freedom, a plan meant to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, to give diplomacy a chance.
Regional claims and denials emerge
Local reports said parts of Bahman Port’s passenger terminal and administrative building were also hit. Some Iranian outlets noted the port had previously been targeted during the Iran-Iraq War, known in Iran as the “Ramadan War.”
Unofficial sources claimed air defenses in Bandar Abbas engaged two drones, but the reports were not independently verified.
An Israeli source told i24NEWS that Israel was not involved in the incidents inside Iran.
Other unverified regional reports alleged Emirati fighter jets may have been involved in the strike on Bahman Port, a claim not confirmed by any official authority.
Several Iranian political media outlets described the incident as a possible “hostile act” by the UAE and warned of consequences if the allegations proved accurate.
Tehran, Abu Dhabi also report blast sounds
Shortly after the reports from Bandar Abbas and Qeshm, Arab media outlets reported explosion sounds in Abu Dhabi.
At 11:52pm local time on Thursday, two loud explosions were followed by several minutes of continuous air defense fire in western Tehran.
Mohammad Radmehr, deputy governor and special governor of Minab County, said one of the county’s maritime police bases was attacked at 12:10am on Friday. He blamed “the Zionist regime and the United States” for the attack.
Radmehr said no casualties or injuries were reported.
Ceasefire remains under pressure
The reports come amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, including recent confrontations between Iranian and US naval forces.
The US-Iran war has been on halt since Pakistan mediated a ceasefire on April 8, with efforts continuing for a permanent end to the conflict. The Strait of Hormuz remains largely blocked, while the US has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
Türkiye is monitoring the situation closely and has warned that any escalation in the Gulf could disrupt global energy supplies and regional stability.
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