Iran’s southern provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr, and Khuzestan came under renewed US military aggression early Thursday, coinciding with a statement from US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirming that American forces had launched fresh attacks against the Islamic Republic.
Local media outlets reported a wave of explosions across the affected regions. Iran’s Fars News Agency confirmed two blasts in the vicinity of Bushehr city, in the country’s southwest, while state television reported multiple detonations on the outskirts of Ziarat village in the Sirik district, alongside another explosion in the Bamani area, also within Sirik.
In a related development, Iranian state television broadcast reports of renewed explosions at the port of Sirik in Hormozgan province, as well as a separate blast in the Ramshir area of Khuzestan province, which borders Iraq.
BREAKING | A US attack near the Shalamcheh border crossing between Iran and Iraq—a major route for religious pilgrims—has killed at least two people. pic.twitter.com/dMdej2cbho
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) July 23, 2026
Citing a security official in Khuzestan, the Mehr News Agency reported that a US strike occurred near the passenger terminal at the Hashlam border crossing, though that particular incident resulted in no casualties.
However, the deputy governor of Khuzestan for security affairs confirmed a far more severe outcome at the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iraq, stating that two people were killed and 11 others wounded in an American attack on the facility.
The intensity of the bombardment escalated further at 4:30 AM local time, when the United States launched a second missile salvo targeting a military site in Bushehr. Concurrently, Nour News Agency reported hearing two explosions at the port of Jask, a strategic coastal hub in Hormozgan province.
The strikes were not confined to the south. The Kermanshah Provincial Council reported an attack early Thursday morning on the city of Islamabad, located in the western province of Kermanshah, signaling a broadening of the US military campaign.
Amid the escalating violence, Iran’s Ministry of Health issued an updated casualty toll on Wednesday, announcing that 53 citizens have been martyred and 592 others injured since the resumption of American aggression against Iran on June 27. According to the ministry, ports, coastal observation towers, and a significant number of vital harbors and civilian infrastructure have been systematically targeted during the ongoing bombardment, raising concerns over both humanitarian and economic repercussions for the region.
Source: Iranian media (edite dby Al-Manar)