explainer
Amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, the US launches an attack near Bandar Abbas. Iran has not reported any casualties or damage.
Published May 28, 2026
The US has reportedly carried out a new attack near Iran’s Bandar Abbas port, targeting what it calls a military threat to Iranian forces and maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian media said there were no casualties or property damage from the explosion.
The latest developments come amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s vital shipping lane, which has become a major flashpoint for negotiations and confrontations involving Iran and the United States.
Here’s what we know:
in iran
Iranian state media reported the second explosion since Tuesday near Bandar Abbas port and the Strait of Hormuz, amid rising tensions in one of the key flashpoints in negotiations between Iran and the United States. State television also recalled Tuesday’s accusation by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) that the United States had violated the ceasefire, international law and maritime navigation laws. Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing military sources, said the Revolutionary Guards Navy opened fire on the U.S. tanker for passing through the Strait of Hormuz with its radar turned off. US forces then retaliated by firing near Bandar Abbas, it said, adding that there were no casualties or property damage from the explosion.
war diplomacy
US President Donald Trump has said Iran would not receive sanctions relief under any deal and insisted that Iran hand over its enriched uranium stockpile, despite Tehran’s repeated rejections of those demands. The conflicting statements underscored the continuing diplomatic impasse as speculation mounted that a deal was near. The U.S. Treasury Department added Iran’s Persian Gulf Straits Authority to its sanctions list, targeting the agency established by Iran to manage requests for passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The move is part of the Trump administration’s efforts to increase economic pressure on Iran as negotiations to end the war continue.
on the bay
Kuwait’s military said its air defense forces had intercepted “hostile” missiles and drones as warning sirens blared across the country. Authorities urged residents to follow safety instructions, adding that the explosion was caused by a listening system.
in the US
In a report from the White House, Manuel Rapallo said the Iran negotiations loomed large in President Trump’s recent Cabinet meetings, despite discussions on immigration, inflation and the economy ahead of the midterm elections. President Trump has said he wants a “big deal” with Iran and warned that the United States will back away from anything that is against its interests. President Trump said the United States would use force against Oman if it cooperated with Iran to take control of the Strait of Hormuz, and declared at a Cabinet meeting that “no one is going to take it.” The comments attracted attention because Oman, a longtime US ally and mediator in Iran-US talks, has not proposed joint oversight of the strategic waterway with Tehran.
in Lebanon and Gaza
The Israeli military ordered residents of the southern Lebanese city of Tire and parts of Zakok al-Muhdi to immediately leave the area and move north of the Zahrani River, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Israeli border. Israel claimed the targeted building was near a Hezbollah facility and warned that those remaining in the area were at risk. Hezbollah announced it had launched dozens of operations targeting Israeli troops, tanks, engineering vehicles and military positions across southern Lebanon and northern Israel. The group said the attacks included close-range collisions, attacks on Merkava tanks and the Iron Dome platform, and drone strikes on positions on the Galilee. Dozens of Palestinians marched through Gaza City on Tuesday night, carrying the body of Mohammad Odeh, a Hamas armed forces commander who was killed in an Israeli attack. His death came about a week after Israel killed his predecessor, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, as Israel continues to target the group’s senior leadership despite a ceasefire.
