US strike reportedly destroys key bridges near Bandar Abbas, blasts heard near Iranshahr Airport as conflict with Iran escalates

A US military strike reportedly destroyed a key road bridge near Iran's southern port city of Bandar Abbas, severing a major transportation link across the Shur River, according to reports circulating on social media and regional monitoring accounts.

The reports claimed the bridge, which connects Bandar Abbas with inland cities, collapsed into the river after being struck. At least two people were reportedly killed and four others injured.

Localised power outages were also reported in the surrounding area.

As of early Friday, neither the US nor Iranian authorities had officially confirmed the strike, the reported casualties or the extent of the damage.

Independent verification was not immediately possible.

If confirmed, the attack would represent another escalation in the widening US-Iran conflict, with Washington increasingly targeting infrastructure believed to support Iran's military logistics and supply routes.

Bandar Abbas is Iran's principal commercial port and home to the headquarters of the Iranian Navy.

The city sits on the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply passes, making it one of the Middle East's most critical transport hubs.

Military analysts say bridges linking Bandar Abbas to Iran's interior are strategically significant because they carry civilian traffic as well as military equipment, fuel and supplies moving between ports, naval installations and inland bases.

Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported late early on Friday that a location near Iranshahr in southeastern Iran was struck by what it described as an “American enemy projectile,” adding to a series of military exchanges that have kept the region on edge in recent weeks.

The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran’s official news service, stated that preliminary assessments were underway and that further details would be released.

A follow-up post noted that no official confirmation had yet been made regarding the origin of explosions, though unofficial sources pointed to US-Israeli involvement.

Iranshahr, in Sistan and Baluchestan province, lies in a strategically sensitive area near key maritime routes and has featured in prior reporting during this year’s flare-ups.

Earlier in July, Iranian media and international outlets described U.S. strikes on multiple sites, including Iranshahr Airport itself, where a firefighter was reportedly killed and infrastructure such as the operations building and meteorological station damaged.

A volatile US-Iran confrontation has been centered on the Strait of Hormuz, freedom of navigation, and Iran’s regional military posture.

US Central Command has acknowledged conducting strikes on Iranian military targets, including air defences, missile sites, and naval infrastructure, often in response to Iranian actions against commercial shipping.

Iranian officials have vowed retaliation and asserted control over the strait.

Tensions have involved reported strikes on ports like Chabahar and Bandar Abbas, areas near the Bushehr nuclear facility, and other military installations, with both sides trading claims of damage and restraint.

Ceasefire efforts, including those reportedly mediated by Pakistan, have been fragile.

As of Friday (July 17) morning, independent verification of the newest reported strike near Iranshahr remains limited.

Iranian state TV and outlets like Tasnim have referenced power outages at the airport and damage to facilities, with varying accounts of casualties (some reports citing one injury or none in the immediate incident).

Social media and regional monitors circulated unverified images and claims of explosions, while US officials have not immediately commented on this specific report.

The incident comes amid ongoing diplomatic signaling: the White House has noted Iran’s interest in a deal even as military actions continue.

Oil markets, already sensitive to disruptions in the Gulf, are watching closely for any impact on shipping or escalation.

On Thursday, Iran urged the United Nations Human Rights Office (UNHRO) to condemn what it called ongoing US military aggression, according to the country’s official news agency.

The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that Tehran is pressing the UN human rights body to address alleged violations stemming from recent American strikes and naval operations in the region.

The call comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where US forces have enforced a naval blockade and conducted strikes targeting Iranian military capabilities.

Iranian officials have repeatedly described US actions as violations of international law, the UN Charter and a recently signed memorandum aimed at de-escalating conflict.

They accuse Washington of attacking civilian infrastructure, transportation facilities and maritime assets, claims the US has rejected while asserting its operations are necessary to protect commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.