Tehran: Multiple explosions were heard on Iran's Qeshm Island and in Bandar Lengeh in the country's south, near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, amid heightened military tensions between Tehran and Washington.
According to Al Jazeera, citing Iran's official IRNA news agency, five explosions were heard on Qeshm Island, while further blasts were reported in Bandar Lengeh. IRNA also reported that residents on Qeshm Island had spotted two aircraft flying over the island.
There was no immediate official information on the cause of the explosions or reports of casualties.
The developments come after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force claimed that it had shot down three US drones near the Strait of Hormuz, including the 55th MQ-9 military drone.
According to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV, the IRGC said two US MQM-170 reconnaissance drones were brought down south of Qeshm Island using electronic warfare systems, taking the total number of captured drones of this type to four.
In a separate statement, the IRGC said its Aerospace Force had tracked and destroyed a US MQ-9 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz using a newly developed air defence system.
“The 55th advanced MQ-9 drone was tracked and brought down over the airspace east of the Strait of Hormuz by the Aerospace Force's newly developed air defense system, operating under the country's unified air defense network,” the IRGC said.
The latest reports emerge amid continued diplomatic exchanges between Washington and Tehran, with both sides signalling the possibility of a negotiated settlement.
US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) claimed that oil prices had dropped by nearly USD 10 per barrel amid expectations of a diplomatic agreement with Iran.
In a post on X, Trump said, “Oil Prices are DROPPING LIKE A ROCK, down almost $10 a Barrel, A RECORD, because people feel that there will not be a War with Iran. Iran wants a settlement as soon as possible. It could happen!”
US Vice President JD Vance also expressed optimism over negotiations, saying the administration believed some progress had been made.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi maintained that Tehran was prepared for both diplomacy and military confrontation, warning that any renewed military action would invite a stronger response.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
