The key facts

  • Explosions heard on Sunday evening in Bandar Abbas and on Kishm Island
  • Fars: possible cause — warning shots at vessels in the Strait of Hormuz
  • Iranian authorities have not yet given an official explanation

Explosions heard in Bandar Abbas and on Kishm

Several explosions were heard on Sunday evening in parts of the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas and on the nearby island of Kishm, the semi-official Fars news agency reported citing local sources. According to the agency's sources, the sounds may have come from warning shots fired at vessels suspected of violating shipping rules in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian authorities had made no official statement on the cause of the explosions at the time of publication.

Context

Kishm Island lies at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for oil exports from Persian Gulf countries. The cause of the sounds remains unconfirmed: the Fars report is based on local sources, and there is no official confirmation yet.