A senior U.S. official told Fox News that the American military carried out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas, following reports of multiple explosions.

The official stressed that the operation is not being viewed by Washington as a restart of the war, even as Iranian state media reported that the country’s air defenses were still engaging “hostile drones” over Tehran.

The reported U.S. strikes mark a major escalation in a tense regional moment centered around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil-shipping corridors.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, there were earlier “signs of a hostile action” by the United Arab Emirates after blasts were reportedly heard in the coastal city of Bandar Abbas and on islands in the Strait of Hormuz. While Iranian authorities had not initially confirmed that an attack took place, the report warned that if Abu Dhabi was found responsible, it “will pay the price.”

Additional reports from Iranian outlets claimed that parts of the commercial area of Bahman Pier on Qeshm Island were targeted during what was described as a “direct exchange of fire” between Iranian armed forces and unidentified “enemy forces.”

Multiple strikes were also reported on Qeshm Island and nearby Siri Island, both strategically located near key maritime routes used for global oil shipments.

Iran’s Mehr News Agency said authorities were investigating the possibility of UAE involvement in the incidents. However, the reported confirmation from a senior U.S. official that American forces struck Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas shifts attention sharply toward Washington’s role in the operation.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)