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Iran's state media - Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) - on Wednesday claimed that explosions were reportedly heard in the country's southern Hormozgan province following US Central Command (CENTCOM) strikes described as "self-defence operations" against Iranian targets.
Multiple explosions were reported across southern Iran, including in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask and Qeshm Island, according to Press TV. Iran's armed forces are continuing to respond to ongoing "enemy aggressions" as clashes remain underway, Press TV reported, citing official statements. The Iranian broadcaster said the country's military was actively engaging in counter-operations and warned that if hostilities continue, "heavier responses" could follow. The reported blasts come amid escalating hostilities after Washington launched retaliatory strikes in response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier in the day, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the United States, saying it should "leave" the Persian Gulf region for its safety. He said Iran's armed forces would respond to any attack or threat and added that "intruding outsiders" in the Persian Gulf have faced dire consequences in history. In a post on X, Araghchi wrote, "Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the U.S. opted to test our determination. Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered. Leave our region if you want to be safe. History of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders." This comes after US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces have begun launching self-defence strikes against Iran in response to what it described as "unjustified Iranian aggression" following the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter. CENTCOM said the strikes were carried out at the direction of the Commander in Chief as a "proportional response" to the incident. In a post on X on Tuesday (local time), the official account of US Central Command shared, "U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began launching self-defence strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief's direction, in response to yesterday's downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter. The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression." (ANI)
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