Qeshm Island hit by explosions as Iran reports naval base attack

The reported attack comes amid heightened US-Iran tensions and ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent further military escalation.

Explosions were heard near Iran’s Qeshm Island early Friday, October 30, as reports emerged of a US attack on an Iranian army naval base on the island.

Iranian news agency Urgent News reported preliminary information suggesting that US forces had targeted the naval installation, linking the explosions heard earlier to the attack. It did not provide details about the extent of the damage or possible casualties.

Separately, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, citing unnamed sources, reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force intercepted a fighter jet described as “hostile” near Qeshm Island and forced it to leave the area.

The agency did not identify the aircraft or disclose its nationality. It also said no official statement had been issued confirming the interception.

Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that explosions were heard at sea near Qeshm Island and Sirik, in Hormozgan province, close to the Strait of Hormuz.

Citing local sources, Fars said residents of Qeshm had seen flashes of light and heard unusual sounds in the sky and surrounding waters. The agency suggested that some of the sounds could have been warning shots fired at vessels accused of violating navigation regulations in the Strait of Hormuz.

Reports of strike in Bandar-e Jask

In a separate development, a platform affiliated with Iran’s military establishment reported that four missiles had struck a naval facility in Bandar-e Jask, also in Hormozgan province.

The reported US involvement in the Qeshm Island attack and the missile strike in Bandar-e Jask have not been independently verified. Washington had not issued an immediate statement.

Qatar’s mediation efforts

The military reports come as regional countries continue diplomatic efforts to prevent a renewed confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

According to Axios, Qatar has proposed allowing United Nations inspectors access to Iranian nuclear facilities damaged in previous strikes, potentially in exchange for easing some US sanctions.

The negotiations centre on Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, international monitoring of its nuclear programme, the US naval blockade and the release of frozen Iranian funds.

Washington wants Tehran to give up its enriched uranium stockpile, while Iran is seeking an end to the naval blockade and the release of its frozen assets, Axios reported.

Security officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan have also participated in efforts to convey proposals to Tehran, as regional mediators seek to narrow differences between the two sides.