Several explosions heard in S. Iran as U.S. confirms new round of strikes

People attend a funeral ceremony for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Qom, Iran, July 7, 2026. (Mehr News Agency/Handout via Xinhua)

TEHRAN, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Several blasts were heard Wednesday night in Iran's southern Hormozgan province as the U.S. Central Command said its forces conducted strikes against Iran for a second straight day.

The explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, Sirik counties and the Iranian Island of Abu musa, Iranian media said.

State-run IRIB news agency reported three explosions were also heard in the southeastern Chabahar County, putting at eight the total number of the blasts in Bandar Abbas, where the air defense has become activated.

The U.S. Central Command said in a post on X that its forces "have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."