Smoke rises over southern Iran after renewed US attacks

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that a large column of smoke was visible over Ahvaz in southwestern Iran early Thursday after what it described as renewed United States strikes. The outlet’s short video-based report, published on July 30, 2026, identified the location as the city of Ahvaz and said the smoke rose after the latest attacks.

According to the same report, Iranian state media said two student dormitory complexes were damaged. Al Jazeera also reported that power outages were affecting parts of the city. The available article text does not provide details on casualties, the specific sites targeted, the scale of the damage, or any immediate statement from US officials.

The incident matters because Ahvaz is a major city in Iran’s southwest, in Khuzestan province, an area widely known for its role in Iran’s energy sector and its proximity to sensitive Gulf-region security dynamics. Any reported US military action on Iranian territory would carry significant risks of escalation, particularly if civilian infrastructure or student housing is affected.

The information currently available from the named publisher is limited, and the account relies in part on Iranian state media for the dormitory damage claim. Further confirmation from independent sources, local authorities, medical services, or US officials would be needed to establish the full impact of the strikes and the extent of disruption in Ahvaz.