Explosions hit Iran’s Qeshm Island as US media report US strikes in Hormuz

What the report says

Explosions were reported late on Monday on Iran’s Qeshm Island and in the nearby port city of Bandar Lengeh, according to Iranian state and semi-official news agencies cited by Al Jazeera. The island sits off Iran’s southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a significant share of global oil shipping passes.

Al Jazeera reported that the blasts were heard in quick succession on Qeshm Island, with witnesses telling IRNA they saw two aircraft overhead. Fars also said explosions were heard in Bandar Lengeh, apparently coming from the sea. At the same time, US media outlets including The Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press, citing US officials, reported that the US military had carried out strikes in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to those US reports, the strikes were described by some officials as defensive and intended to limit Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping. Al Jazeera noted that one US official said the campaign had been kept quiet to avoid suggesting a broader return to major combat operations.

The developments come amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, where any military action can raise concerns about regional escalation and disruptions to shipping. Al Jazeera’s report did not independently confirm the US strike claims, and the situation remained fluid at the time of publication.