US military denies involvement after explosions heard in Iran

What Happened

Late on Thursday, explosions were reported by Iranian semi-official media in multiple locations: near the Bushehr nuclear plant area, in Choghadak, and three blasts in Konarak, according to Mehr News Agency. No damage or casualties were detailed. US Central Command (CENTCOM) told Al Jazeera it had carried out no strikes in Iran in the preceding hours. Bushehr’s deputy governor for political and security affairs, Ehsan Jahanian, told IRNA that the Bushehr blast was caused by air defense systems and that a projectile struck a military headquarters on the city’s outskirts. The reports came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after a phone call with US President Donald Trump that the Iran war ‘is not over’, and Israel’s Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said ‘major operations are still expected’. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated the army is ready to strike Iran a third time if necessary. The explosions occurred against a backdrop of US-Iran tit-for-tat strikes since Tuesday, including Iranian hits on Gulf military sites and attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The blasts near Bushehr, home to a nuclear facility, and Israel’s explicit threats to continue military action raise the specter of a broadening conflict that could draw in the US and Gulf states. The simultaneous dispute over Strait of Hormuz transit rules and the US removal of Iran’s oil export waiver heighten economic and security risks, threatening the fragile mid-June ceasefire. Khamenei’s recent death adds political uncertainty as technical negotiations remain suspended, potentially leaving the region without a diplomatic off-ramp.

Watch For

Whether technical talks resume on Monday after Khamenei’s funeral; any follow-up strikes on Iranian territory or Gulf shipping lanes; Israeli announcements of new operational plans; and further US responses to Strait of Hormuz incidents, including potential military or sanctions escalation.