In Iran, a mysterious explosion is reported in Bandar Abbas

At least 10 people were injured today (Saturday) in an explosion that occurred in a civilian residential neighborhood in the port city of Bandar Abbas in the south of the country. The authorities in the country determined that it was probably an explosion caused by a gas leak. At the same time, the media in Iran denied reports of the assassination of the Revolutionary Guards’ naval commander, Ali Reza Thangasiri. The reports of the explosion in Bandar Abbas came shortly after the denied report of the assassination, and there is no known connection between the things.

Earlier, an explosion also occurred in the city of Ahvaz, where four family members were killed. Here too, according to the authorities in Iran, it is an explosion of a gas cylinder. Opposition sources in Iran reported an explosion in the city of Tabriz as well, currently without confirmation from official sources. Additional reports also of an explosion in a suburb of Tehran.

The Iranian news agency Fars reported that the explosion in Bandar Abbas happened in a neighborhood near the port in the city, in an 8-story building. In addition to the casualties on the spot, there was significant damage to the lower floors of the building as well as dozens of vehicles parked in its vicinity. The emergency and firefighting units are on the scene.

The Revolutionary Guards issued a special clarification following the rumors that spread in the country. “The rumor about the assassination of the commander of the naval force of the Revolutionary Guards is false.” The Iranian regime added that “Spreading rumors on security and military issues is a well-known and recognized thing on the part of the Mossad’s operational arm in psychological warfare, they have already argued in the past for the assassination of Ismail Kaani. Considering Trump’s psychological operation by sending ships to the region in recent days, the act of spreading the rumor about the assassination takes on greater significance.”

Last night we reported that the regime in Saudi Arabia, which until recently opposed an American attack on Iran, began to change direction. In a meeting with Jewish leaders in Washington, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Salman (KBS) said that if President Trump does not carry out his threats against Iran, the regime in Tehran will emerge strengthened.

This is a change from the public Saudi position, which warned against a regional escalation if the US attacks Iran, and from the deep concern Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) expressed to Trump three weeks ago regarding an American attack on Iran. This warning was one of the reasons why Trump decided to postpone the attack.

Prince Khaled, the younger brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his closest confidante, visited Washington for meetings on Iran, as the region prepared for American military action and a response that Tehran pledged would be “unprecedented” in scope. The Saudi Defense Minister held a lengthy meeting at the White House on Thursday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Cain.

Until recently, Saudi Arabia’s public position regarding an American attack on Iran was very cautious. Mohammed bin Salman told the president of Iran in a phone call on Wednesday that the kingdom would not allow the US to use its airspace for an attack on Iran. In an hour-long meeting held in Washington on Friday with about 15 experts on the Middle East from research institutes and representatives from five Jewish organizations, Prince Khaled changed the kingdom’s public position.