TEHRAN, May 7: Tensions in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz escalated dramatically on Thursday after Iranian state media claimed that Iranian forces exchanged fire with “enemy units” in Gulf waters following an alleged attack by a US warship on an Iranian oil tanker.
According to Iranian reports, the confrontation unfolded near Qeshm Island, a key Iranian island in the Persian Gulf, triggering explosions, missile launches, and heightened military activity in one of the world’s most sensitive maritime chokepoints.
Iranian state media alleged that a US military vessel attacked an Iranian tanker operating near the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Iranian forces to retaliate with missile fire targeting “enemy units” in the area.
“The aggressive US military attacked an Iranian tanker, after which enemy units operating in the Strait of Hormuz area came under Iranian missile fire and were forced to flee after sustaining damage,” Iranian state television quoted an unnamed military official as saying.
During the reported exchange, an explosion was said to have occurred at the Bahman Quarantine Dock on Qeshm Island. Iranian media provided few details about the blast but linked it to the military confrontation unfolding nearby.
Qeshm Island, home to around 150,000 residents, occupies a strategic position overlooking major shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf and also hosts critical infrastructure including a water desalination facility.
In a separate development, Iranian state media reported that air defense systems successfully shot down two “hostile drones” over Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island in southern Iran. Officials said the drone interceptions were unrelated to the reported attack near Bahman pier, although the incidents added to the atmosphere of growing military tension across the region.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, with nearly a fifth of global oil shipments passing through the narrow waterway. Any escalation in the area raises fears of disruption to international shipping and global energy markets.
Meanwhile, residents west of Tehran reported hearing a loud boom earlier in the day, sparking speculation on social media about possible military activity. Iran’s state broadcaster later stated that the sound was linked to an air defense systems test conducted in the Bidganeh area and insisted that no security incident had occurred.
Bidganeh, located roughly 50 kilometers west of Tehran, is known for housing a missile base operated by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The developments come amid soaring regional tensions and increasing fears that the confrontation between Iran and the United States could spill into direct military clashes across Gulf waters.
There was no immediate confirmation from US authorities regarding the Iranian rhetoric.
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