US says strikes launched as explosions heard in southern Iran

The US military says it has launched airstrikes against Iran as explosions were reported in several locations in the south of the country.The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes began on Tuesday, and are being conducted “in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz”.Iranian media have reported several explosions in the southern port city of Sirik, as well as Qeshm Island and Bandar Abbas.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Canadian province sues OpenAI over alleged ChatGPT-linked shooting warningslist 2 of 3Prolonged hospitalisation of US Republican Mitch McConnell raises questionslist 3 of 3Trump lashes out at NATO as first day of summit wraps in Turkiyeend of list“According to state TV, six explosions have been heard on the island of Qeshm which is the largest island in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, with very geostrategic significance when it comes to Iran’s control and authority over the Strait of Hormuz,” Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi reported from Tehran.“The state TV also says that at least seven explosions have been heard in the areas close to Sirik Port which is very important because it oversees the Strait of Hormuz, another strategic point from which Iran imposes its control and authority over the Strait of Hormuz,” Asadi said.Starting from the time after the signing of the [memorandum of understanding], we have been witnessing limited confrontation and escalation in this highly escalated situation at the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.Following the blasts, Iran’s foreign ministry said it held the US government responsible for the consequences of breaching the memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreed between the two countries in June, which was supposed to put to an end to the war the US and Israel began against Iran in late February. The MoU mandated lifting the US naval blockade on Iran in exchange for Tehran reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz.