US forces strike Bandar Abbas again as Iran war enters new phase
Confidence: HIGH (78/100) | May 04, 2026 | Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan, Iran
britannica.com
In one sentence: US-Israeli forces have struck Bandar Abbas, Iran's primary Strait of Hormuz naval hub, repeatedly since February 28, targeting warships, airbases, and port infrastructure in the ongoing 2026 Iran war.
Why it matters: Bandar Abbas is the nerve centre of Iran's ability to threaten or close the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of the world's seaborne oil flows. Sustained strikes there degrade Iran's naval capacity but also risk escalation near a chokepoint that directly affects global energy markets. With a US naval blockade now in effect and ceasefire talks having collapsed, further armed incidents at the site carry outsized consequences for shipping insurers, oil prices, and Gulf Arab states caught in the crossfire.
What Happened Today
- US Central Command confirmed strikes on ammunition bunkers at the 9th Artesh Air Force Tactical Airbase in Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan Province on March 25, 2026, with CENTCOM footage showing at least four strikes followed by large secondary explosions, according to Critical Threats Project/ISW.
- Satellite imagery from Planet Labs, published March 2, 2026, showed ships ablaze at Bandar Abbas's main Iranian military port, with the IRINS Makran sea-base ship on fire following US-Israeli strikes, as reported by The War Zone and AP.
- The Israeli military announced on March 26 that IRGC Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri was killed in a strike near Bandar Abbas; this was later confirmed by the IRGC itself, according to Al Jazeera.
- IRGC-affiliated media reported on March 23 that IRGC 1st Naval District Commander Mosayeb Bakhtiari was also killed in a strike in Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan Province, per Critical Threats Project/ISW.
- A US naval blockade of Iran's entire coastline, including Bandar Abbas, took effect on April 13, 2026, under CENTCOM Admiral Brad Cooper, with over 10,000 US personnel and more than a dozen warships enforcing it in the first 24 hours, according to Wikipedia's blockade timeline.
Contested Claims
- Iranian Foreign Ministry / Iran International: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated the Strait of Hormuz is open to all vessels except those of the US, Israel, and their allies. US Central Command (CENTCOM): US CENTCOM declared a full naval blockade encompassing 'the entirety of the Iranian coastline,' warning any vessel entering or departing without authorisation is subject to interception, diversion, and capture.
- President Donald Trump: Trump claimed 158 Iranian naval vessels had been destroyed, leaving only small high-speed attack boats operational. US Central Command (CENTCOM) via Wikipedia timeline: CENTCOM's own figures as of early March stated the US had damaged or destroyed at least 50 Iranian vessels, and cumulatively 19 ships and 1 submarine by a later point in the war.
Unverified / Single Source
- (Unverified — single source | state media only) Iran's IRGC Navy blew up 10 commercial vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and hit one other vessel near Port Muscat. [IRGCN NEDSA Navy statement via Wikipedia timeline]
- (Unverified — opposition-affiliated source | not independently corroborated) Opposition-linked sources and eyewitnesses put the death toll from the April 26, 2025 Rajaei port explosion as high as 250–500, far exceeding the official revised figure of 57. [National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) / Simaye Azadi]
Key Figures
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Iranian vessels damaged or destroyed by US forces since February 28, 2026 | 100+ (per CENTCOM as of early March); Trump claimed 158 total | US Central Command (CENTCOM); President Donald Trump |
| US personnel enforcing the naval blockade in first 24 hours (from April 13) | 10,000+ personnel, 12+ warships | US Central Command (CENTCOM) |
| Share of world seaborne oil passing through Strait of Hormuz | ~20% | RFE/RL Radio Farda / Al Jazeera |
| Death toll from April 26, 2025 Shahid Rajaei port explosion (official revised figure) | 57 killed, 1,000+ injured | Head of Hormozgan Judiciary, Mojtaba Ghahremani / Iran International |
| Iranian airbases struck by US-Israeli combined force since February 28 | 11 out of 17 Artesh Air Force tactical airbases | Critical Threats Project / ISW, March 10 update |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Bandar Abbas so important in the Iran-US war? Bandar Abbas hosts Iran's main naval headquarters and sits directly on the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world's seaborne oil passes. It is the hub from which Iran could mine the strait or deploy swarm boats, making it a primary target for US-Israeli strikes aiming to neutralise Iran's ability to close this global energy chokepoint.
What is the current status of the US naval blockade of Iran? A full US naval blockade of Iran's coastline took effect on April 13, 2026, after ceasefire talks in Islamabad collapsed. CENTCOM warned any vessel entering or leaving without authorisation faces interception and capture. On April 19, the USS Spruance fired on and seized the Iranian cargo ship Touska en route to Bandar Abbas for defying the blockade, per Reuters and Wikipedia.
What caused the massive explosion at Bandar Abbas port in April 2025? The April 26, 2025 explosion at the Shahid Rajaei port, which killed at least 57 people and injured over 1,000, is believed by security analysts and an IRGC-linked New York Times source to have originated from sodium perchlorate — a solid rocket fuel component — improperly stored in containers. Iran's Defence Ministry denied any military cargo was present. Two managers have been arrested.
Background
The 2026 Iran war began on February 28, 2026, when US and Israeli forces launched approximately 900 airstrikes in 12 hours against Iranian military infrastructure, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening salvo, per Britannica. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, blocking the Strait of Hormuz and triggering a US military campaign to reopen it. A two-week ceasefire agreed on April 8 collapsed after talks in Islamabad failed, leading the US to impose a full naval blockade of Iran's coastline on April 13.
Sources
- britannica.com — britannica.com (unknown date)
- timesofisrael.com — timesofisrael.com (unknown date)
- criticalthreats.org — criticalthreats.org (unknown date)
- twz.com — twz.com (unknown date)
- en.wikipedia.org — en.wikipedia.org (unknown date)
- aljazeera.com — aljazeera.com (unknown date)
- iranintl.com — iranintl.com (unknown date)
- rferl.org — rferl.org (unknown date)