Explosions rock southern Iran near Bushehr as US denies fresh strikes

Explosions were reported across southern Iran on Thursday, including near the Bushehr nuclear facility, according to Iranian state media and local officials cited by Al Jazeera.

A US defence official told the media that the US military had not carried out any strikes on Iran in the last several hours, casting uncertainty over the cause of the reported blasts.

The developments came after Iran announced that it had launched attacks against what it described as "US bases and strategic centres" in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in retaliation for a second consecutive night of US air strikes on Iranian territory.

The latest escalation has fuelled concerns that the conflict is widening across the Gulf, with Bushehr drawing particular attention because it hosts Iran's only operational nuclear power plant. Previous warnings have highlighted that any military activity near the facility could have significant regional consequences.

The exchange of attacks marks another sharp escalation after the United States resumed strikes on Iran and Tehran responded by targeting US-linked military sites across the Gulf, raising fresh concerns over regional security and global energy markets.