Loud Explosions Heard in Tehran as Regional War Escalates
Explosions rock Tehran and other Iranian cities as U.S. and Israeli strikes continue; Oman port targeted by drones amid escalating regional conflict
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Loud explosions rocked Iran’s capital on Tuesday, with blasts heard in northern Tehran as the war involving the United States and Israel entered its fourth day, AFP journalists in the city reported. It was not immediately clear which facilities were hit, and Iranian state media provided limited details. Explosions were also reported in Karaj, outside Tehran, as well as in the central city of Isfahan.
The heightened violence comes amid a rapidly expanding conflict that began late last week when U.S. and Israeli forces launched a coordinated military campaign against Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials, and striking strategic military and political infrastructure across the country.
The campaign has since widened into a full‑blown regional war involving multiple states and non‑state actors.
The clashes have triggered retaliatory attacks by Iran using ballistic missiles and armed drones against U.S. military bases, allied Gulf states, and Israeli targets, prompting widespread air‑raid warnings and defenses across the Middle East.
Explosions and military engagements have been reported in Israel, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain. Gulf countries have also intercepted large salvos of Iranian missiles and drones, with civilian infrastructure struck in some areas.
In a sign of rising diplomatic and security concerns, the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait announced it would remain closed until further notice and that all regular and emergency consular appointments had been canceled, citing “ongoing regional tensions.” An AFP correspondent on Tuesday saw smoke rising from the vicinity of the mission following recent Iranian attacks in the region.
In addition to the violence in Iran and across the Gulf, state media reported that drones targeted Duqm Port in Oman, striking a fuel tank. The Oman News Agency said the resulting damage was contained and that there were no human casualties. The attack marked one of the first direct strikes on Omani territory since Tehran began its retaliation campaign.
The intensifying conflict has raised international alarm over regional stability, energy markets, and global shipping, particularly as Iran has threatened to disrupt transit through the strategic Strait of Hormuz — a key chokepoint for roughly one‑fifth of the world’s daily oil exports.