Conflict & Security
Iranian state media report new explosions in southern Iran
US forces launched strikes against Iran for a sixth night in a row on Thursday, the US military said, as Iranian state media reported new explosions and US strikes in southern Iran.
Iranian state TV reported two explosions in Bushehr, the city that hosts Iran's only civilian nuclear plant. It described them as part of what it called a continuation of American aggression.
State TV also reported a series of explosions in coastal Bandar Abbas, without attributing them to a specific cause or actor.
Iran's official IRNA news agency reported what it called American attacks on areas around Ahvaz. Residents there told AFP they had heard intense strikes for a second night in a row.
The reports came as hostilities between the United States and Iran had resumed, and as US allies in the Gulf had also reported further attacks linked to the renewed Middle East war.
Update
Iranian state TV reported two explosions in Bushehr, the city that hosts Iran's only civilian nuclear plant.
Iranian state TV also reported a series of unattributed explosions in coastal Bandar Abbas.
IRNA reported what it called American attacks on areas around Ahvaz.
Residents in Ahvaz told AFP they had heard intense strikes for a second night in a row.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 19:57:22 UTC.
Update
US forces launched strikes for a sixth consecutive night beginning at 1800 GMT, according to US Central Command.
A security official said a drone struck a ship off Basra, while Iraq's oil ministry said an object was seen near a tanker but no fire or damage occurred.
The White House said President Donald Trump remained open to diplomacy with Iran and that contacts were continuing.
Iranian media reported US strikes around Qeshm island and Bandar Abbas.
Yemen's Houthis warned they could target Saudi oil facilities and other infrastructure if the conflict escalated.
Syria said it seized weapons and missiles at the Syrian-Iraqi border that were allegedly being smuggled to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Kuwait and Bahrain reported Iranian aerial attacks and air-defence responses.
Iran accused the United States of a nearby strike that forced the evacuation of 211 chemotherapy patients from a cancer hospital.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 19:50:13 UTC.
Update
The US military described the latest strikes as the sixth night in a row of US strikes against Iran.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 19:31:43 UTC.
Update
US Central Command said US forces launched strikes against Iran for a fifth consecutive night, beginning at 1800 GMT.
A security official said a drone struck a ship off Basra, while Iraq's oil ministry said an unspecified object fell near a tanker and reported no fire or damage.
The White House said President Donald Trump remained open to diplomacy with Iran and that Washington was still talking to Tehran.
Iranian news agencies reported US strikes near Qeshm island, and Iranian state TV reported that Bandar Abbas was targeted.
Yemen's Houthis warned that Saudi oil facilities and other infrastructure would be targets if conflict escalated.
Syria said it seized missiles and other weapons at the Syrian-Iraqi border that it said were being smuggled to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Kuwait and Bahrain reported renewed aerial attacks from Iran, and Kuwait said it was responding to a fresh drone salvo.
Iran accused the United States of a nearby strike that forced a cancer hospital to evacuate 211 chemotherapy patients.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 19:18:32 UTC.
Update
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they struck a US airbase in Jordan with ballistic missiles, and Iran's military separately said it targeted US facilities in Jordan with drones.
Iranian state media said a children's cancer hospital in Ahvaz was evacuated after US airstrikes in the area, and a local teacher described multiple intense explosions.
Kuwait said it intercepted Iranian drones, and Bahrain sounded air raid sirens after attacks began affecting US allies in the Gulf.
Iranian news agencies reported new US strikes near Qeshm island and Bandar Abbas, while IRNA said a projectile hit parts of Semnan airport without injuries.
A senior Iranian military spokesman called for the United States to withdraw from the region and said Iran would not back down over the Strait of Hormuz.
The report adds background on a preliminary deal signed a month earlier, the brief reopening and later closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the US blockade of Iranian ports.
Pakistan said it would keep encouraging an end to violence and a return to technical-level talks.
Trump said an American citizen, identified by her lawyer as Dena Karari, had left Iran in good condition after being detained since December 2024.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 18:53:18 UTC.
Update
The US military said the strikes were launched for a fifth night in a row on Thursday.
US Central Command said the strikes began at 1800 GMT.
US Central Command said the strikes were carried out to further degrade Iranian military capabilities.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 18:35:13 UTC.
Update
The US military said US forces launched new strikes against Iran.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 18:27:59 UTC.
Update
Iranian media reported US strikes around Iran's Gulf island of Qeshm, near the Strait of Hormuz.
Fars, citing local authorities, reported an American missile strike near Qeshm.
Tasnim said one of its correspondents reported that areas around Qeshm were hit by projectiles.
Iranian state television reported that Bandar Abbas was targeted on Thursday evening.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 16:47:27 UTC.
Update
The United States said it hit Iranian military targets including Bandar Abbas and earlier coastal defence and cruise missile sites on Greater Tunb Island.
Iranian state media reported a projectile hit parts of Semnan airport without injuries, with explosions elsewhere and air defences activated in parts of Tehran.
Iranian news agencies reported US strikes around Qeshm island near the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan said it would keep encouraging all sides to end violence and resume technical-level talks under the memorandum of understanding it helped mediate.
Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would be closed again until the United States ends its aggression, after it was briefly reopened following the June US-Iran deal.
President Donald Trump said an American citizen, identified by her lawyer as Dena Karari, had left Iran in good condition after being detained since December 2024.
An Iranian government spokesperson said renewed US attacks since last week had killed at least 30 people in Iran.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 15:58:07 UTC.
Update
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they used ballistic missiles.
The IRGC said the strikes were in response to what it described as an American attack near a children's cancer hospital in Iran.
The IRGC said US forces had used air bases in Jordan to target various parts of Iran.
The IRGC said its aerospace force launched two waves of missile strikes on bases in Jordan.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 05:49:29 UTC.
Update
Iran's Guards said they struck a US base in Jordan.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 05:37:32 UTC.
Update
US forces struck Iranian military targets in multiple places, including Bandar Abbas, according to CENTCOM.
CENTCOM said earlier strikes hit coastal defence and cruise missile sites on Greater Tunb Island.
Iranian official media reported explosions in several parts of Iran and air defences triggered in parts of Tehran.
Kuwait said it intercepted Iranian drones, and Bahrain sounded air raid sirens.
Kurdish forces said the US-led coalition downed eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil.
US President Donald Trump threatened strikes on power plants and bridges unless Tehran returns to talks.
Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran had no reason to adhere to a memorandum if it gained no benefit from it.
Kpler reported only 21 transits through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, and oil prices rose after the latest escalation.
Trump said an American citizen identified by her lawyer as Dena Karari had left Iran in good condition after being detained since December 2024.
Iran's government spokesperson said renewed US attacks since last week had killed at least 30 people in Iran.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 05:44:45 UTC.
Update
Iranian state television IRIB reported the claim.
The Iranian army said it used suicide, or kamikaze, drones.
The army said it targeted US communication systems and fuel storage facilities in Jordan.
The army said the action was in response to what it called enemy aggression.
The reported claim followed another wave of US strikes on Iran.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 02:32:01 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The reported explosions in Bandar Abbas were unattributed in the source.
The source does not give damage or casualty figures for the newly reported southern Iran incidents.
Source
AFP news report published on .