Reports said explosions were heard on Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, with reports of several blasts in the port of Jask, as the Iranian military said two tankers caught fire after hitting mines in the strategic waterway. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had lifted a self-imposed limit of 2,000 kilometres on its ballistic missile range, and the US announced plans to block land-based supply routes to Iran, expanding its months-long naval blockade.
Iranian state media reported explosions on Qeshm Island and in Jask, Sirik and Bandar Abbas. The cause was not immediately clear, but the reports suggested possible links to Iranian military activities. The blasts came days after the US carried out strikes on the island, though Iranian officials did not confirm strikes on the areas.
The Iranian military said the two tankers caught fire after striking mines as they attempted to use an "unauthorised route" in the Strait. Separately, the US Central Command said one of its aircraft fired at a vessel that had ignored warnings and tried to leave the region after visiting an Iranian port, disabling the ship.
The Revolutionary Guard said it had lifted the 2,000 km cap on missile range. US officials have said Iran's space programme technology could be repurposed for intercontinental ballistic missiles, potentially putting parts of Europe and the Middle East within range.
President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US had carried out new limited strikes, targeting an Iranian air defence system, which he described as "minor". Trump has indicated he may order a new wave of strikes after the US midterm elections on 3 November.
Diplomatic efforts are under way. The president discussed de-escalation with Qatar's emir, whose office said the two leaders talked about mediation aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement that ends the crisis and achieves security and stability in the region. The Associated Press has reported that Iran is reviewing proposals presented by Qatar addressing differences with the US over Tehran's nuclear programme. However, officials said Iran remained unwilling to negotiate over its atomic activities until the US agrees to several conditions.
The US also announced plans to block land supply routes into Iran, expanding its naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Strait of Hormuz is a chokepoint for global oil shipments; any escalation threatens energy markets and the world economy.
- Iran's removal of a range cap on ballistic missiles could allow it to develop longer-range weapons, potentially altering the strategic balance in the Middle East and beyond.
- The expansion of the US blockade to land routes risks broadening the conflict beyond maritime borders, drawing in neighbouring states.
Background
The war between the US and Iran has lasted more than eight months. The US has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, and carried out strikes on Qeshm Island days before the latest explosions. President Trump has signalled he may order further strikes after the US midterm elections on 3 November. Qatar has been mediating between the sides, attempting to find a comprehensive agreement that also addresses differences over Iran's nuclear programme.
Key Perspectives
Iran: The Revolutionary Guard lifted a self-imposed 2,000 km limit on its ballistic missile range, though it is not known to possess missiles that can exceed that. In ongoing mediation, Iran is reviewing Qatari proposals but insists the US must meet several conditions before it will negotiate over its nuclear activities.
United States: President Trump said the US carried out limited strikes against an Iranian air defence system, describing them as "minor". The US has now announced plans to block land supply routes into Iran, extending its naval blockade.
Qatar: The Gulf state is mediating negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement that ends the crisis and achieves stability in the region, according to the emir's office.
What to Watch
- Whether Iran accepts or rejects the proposals put forward by Qatar, and what conditions the US attaches.
- The US administration's next steps after the midterms, with Trump having hinted at a new wave of strikes.
- The safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as mines and military activity intensify, and how global oil markets react.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedIran reports blasts on Qeshm Island.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Iranian media say explosions have been heard in Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the cities of Jask, Sirik and Bandar Abbas.”
- SupportedIran’s Revolutionary Guard says it lifted its self-imposed 2,000-kilometre limit on ballistic missile range.Just In: “Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had lifted a self-imposed limit of 2,000 kilometres on the range of its ballistic missiles.”
- SupportedThe US plans to block Iran’s land-based supply routes, expanding its months-long naval blockade.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The US announces a new plan to block Iran’s land-based supply routes, expanding its months-long naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz.”
- SupportedIran is reviewing Qatari proposals addressing differences with the US over Tehran’s nuclear programme.Just In: “The Associated Press has reported that Iran is reviewing proposals presented by Qatar that address differences with the US about Tehran's nuclear program.”
- SupportedReports said explosions were heard on Qeshm Island on Saturday and several blasts occurred in Jask.Just In: “Iranian state media reported on Saturday evening that two explosions were heard on the Strait of Hormuz's Qeshm Island, as well as several explosions in the port of Jask.”
- SupportedThe Iranian military said two tankers caught fire after hitting mines while attempting to use an “unauthorised route” in the Strait.Just In: “The Iranian military said on Sunday that two tankers caught fire after hitting mines as they attempted to pass through an "unauthorised route" in the strait.”
- SupportedIranian state media reported explosions in Qeshm, Jask, Sirik and Bandar Abbas.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Iranian media say explosions have been heard in Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the cities of Jask, Sirik and Bandar Abbas.”
- SupportedThe cause of the blasts was unclear, and reports suggested they may have been linked to Iranian military activities.Just In: “It was not immediately clear what caused the blasts, with the reports suggesting they may have been linked to Iranian military activities.”
- SupportedThe blasts came days after US strikes on Qeshm, although Iranian officials did not confirm strikes on the areas.Just In: “This comes days after the US carried out strikes on the island , but Iranian officials did not confirm there had been any strikes on the areas.”
- Partly supportedUS Central Command said an aircraft fired at a vessel that had ignored warnings and tried to leave after visiting an Iranian port, disabling it.Just In: “The US Central Command said one of its aircraft fired at the vessel's stern and disabled the ship after it attempted to violate the blockade.”
- SupportedTrump said on Friday that the US carried out limited strikes targeting an Iranian air-defence system, describing the action as “minor”.Just In: “The president said on Friday that the US military had carried out new limited strikes against Iran, targeting an Iranian air defence system, describing the action to reporters as "minor".”
- Partly supportedOfficials said Iran remained unwilling to negotiate over its atomic activities until the US agreed to several conditions.Just In: “But one of the officials stressed that the Iranians remained unwilling to engage in negotiations with the Trump administration over its atomic activities until the US agreed to several conditions .”
