A massive explosion rocked Iran's southern port city of Bandar Abbas, leaving more than 500 people injured. According to a report published by the BBC on Saturday (April 26), the blast caused extensive damage to the Shahid Rajaei Port, the country's largest commercial shipping facility.

Iranian state media reported that the explosion occurred around 12:30 PM local time, severely damaging the port’s administrative building and impacting nearby structures and vehicles. The force of the blast was so intense that tremors were felt as far as 50 kilometers away, with residents on Qeshm Island also reporting hearing the explosion.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the incident originated from a series of flammable material containers stored at the Sina Container Yard within the port. The exact sequence of events leading to the explosion is still under investigation, but officials have confirmed that the intensity of the blast contributed significantly to the widespread destruction.

Mokhtar Salashur, head of the Red Crescent Society in Hormozgan Province, confirmed that the injured were transported to local hospitals, while four rapid response teams were dispatched to assist with emergency operations. Rescue and firefighting efforts are ongoing at the site.

The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company stated that the explosion did not affect critical infrastructure such as refineries, fuel tanks, distribution complexes, or oil pipelines in the region.

Shahid Rajaei Port, located north of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, handles nearly 80 million tons of cargo annually, making it a crucial node in global oil trade routes. The port’s role in facilitating international trade emphasizes the significance of the incident, though officials assured that vital oil trade operations have not been disrupted.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the precise cause of the explosion, while emergency services remain engaged in recovery and containment operations.