Iranian media report that additional explosions have been heard moments ago near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, according to local reports. The cause and any damage or casualties have not yet been reported. The reports follow several waves of blasts in southern Iran over the past 24 hours, including confirmation of explosions in Bushehr around 14:39 today, as The Zioneer reported.
Additional explosions were reported near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran moments ago, according to Iranian media. This is at least the fourth wave of blasts reported in the Bushehr area since Wednesday evening. The cause, extent of damage, or any casualties have not yet been reported. These fresh reports come after a night of escalating Iranian claims and confirmations about a US strike on the plant's perimeter, which began with unverified reports at 22:44 Jerusalem on Wednesday.
As The Zioneer reported in a series of bulletins throughout Wednesday night, the thread began with unconfirmed reports of a US strike near the plant. Iranian state media then claimed a US projectile struck the perimeter, though Mehr news agency initially denied damage. By 22:44, a Bushehr deputy governor confirmed to IRAN news agency that US strikes had hit several targets in the province, including the area surrounding the plant. Multiple subsequent reports from state media, a senior official, and Mehr itself all corroborated that a US strike had struck the perimeter of the nuclear facility. A US official confirmed the use of BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles targeting Bushehr.
The explosions follow a broader pattern of blasts across southern Iran over recent weeks. As The Zioneer has reported, previous incidents included an explosion in Jam, Bushehr Province, on June 10, and a wave of blasts across Golestan province on Thursday morning. No group has claimed responsibility for the majority of these incidents, and the Iranian authorities have not provided a cause for them. The proximity of the ongoing explosions to the nuclear site raises significant security concerns.
It remains unverified whether the newest explosions were caused by a fresh US strike, a secondary detonation from earlier attacks, or another cause. The extent of any damage to the reactor core remains unconfirmed. No immediate US comment has been received.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake