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US jets strike military facilities near trade zone in Iran's Chabahar: Report
While more details on the strike on military targets is still awaited, unverified viral videos online claimed to show a US jet hovering over the trade zone.
The US fighter jets have reportedly struck military facilities on a mountain near the Chabahar trade zone in Iran, Al Jazeera reported, citing the Voice of America’s Persian language service. Intense explosion was heard behind the trade zone, the report further said.
The US attack marks a fresh escalation in its ongoing war with Iran. It also coincides with the ongoing Strait of Hormuz blockade and Iran's continuous targeting of US establishments in the Middle East.
Follow live updates on the US-Iran war here.
While more details on the reported strike on military targets is still awaited, unverified viral videos online claimed to show a US jet hovering over the trade zone in Chabahar.
The Chabahar Free Trade Zone is a key transit route for Iran which ensures regional connectivity. As per Al Jazeera, the trade zone is located in southeastern Sistan, near Iran's border with Pakistan.
It is also crucial for India, given the Chabahar port project to create an alternative route for Indian goods to reach landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia. The 10-year-deal for the Shahid Beheshti Terminal in Chabahar was signed in 2024.
The port project drew focus again last month after the Union Budget in India allocated no money for the project in the Sistan-Balochistan province on Iran's southern coast.
The port development project was first announced in 2003 and was linked to the International North-South Transport Corridor, to bypass Pakistan through road and rail connectivity.
Meanwhile, the Iran-US war entered its third week on Monday amid US President Donald Trump's call to seven countries to send warships to resume ops at Strait of Hormuz, and fresh tensions in the Gulf due to a strike reported near the Dubai airport.
The price surge and supply crisis of oil has taken centre stage in the ongoing conflict. With the key strait blocked for many ships due to the ongoing offensive, crude prices have jumped over $100 a barrel.
To put pressure on Iran to resume the strait ops, Trump is also considering sending US troops on ground to seize control of the Kharg Island, a key oil network in Iran, Axios reported.
