Girl dead as explosion shakes Iranian port city

1 Feb 2026 • 3:30 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • An explosion in an apartment building in Iran's port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday killed a four-year-old girl and injured at least 14 other people.
  • State television cited a local fire official who attributed the blast to a gas leak, which shattered windows and left debris on the street.
  • The incident occurred just a day before Iran's planned naval drill in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a narrow gateway for a fifth of the world's traded oil.
  • Local media footage reportedly showed a member of the security forces being carried out by rescuers, though Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard denied a commander was hurt.
  • The explosion happened amid heightened tensions with the US, following a threat by President Donald Trump of a potential military strike.

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