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Residents in southern Iran have described two nights of fear this week after explosions shook coastal communities as the US launched fresh strikes on targets including the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik.
US Central Command confirmed the attacks, saying they were carried out to “further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the strait of Hormuz”.
For residents in Posht-e Shahr, Bandar Abbas, back-to-back explosions marked another night of terror as they scrambled to check on friends and family. Noor, a teacher who lives near the fishing pier, said this week’s strikes were stronger than most in recent months.
“Right now there’s calm, but last night and the night before were terrifying. It was around ۱am or so that I heard back-to-back explosions – at least ۱۰. There were perhaps also the sounds of the air defences. We have a little cat at home. He was so scared and hid under the bed,” said Noor, who like the other residents, asked to use a pseudonym.
The ۴۰-year-old said fear is growing that the attacks may continue. At sunset, she feels increasingly unsettled about what the night may bring.
“My biggest fear is for the fishermen. I live very close to the pier, and I know there were so many boats there with just fishermen trying to start early because it’s getting hot early in the morning.”
“I found out that many more have been injured in last night’s strikes, and several are dead. I am really worried that this time the impact will be worse for civilians,” she said.
Iranian authorities say at least ۱۴ people have been killed in attacks over the past two days, with more than ۷۸ injured. The fresh strikes also hit Sirik, another port city about ۱۸۰km from Bandar Abbas.
For those living in villages around Sirik, this week’s strikes have compounded existing challenges, including water shortages – which were exacerbated by US attacks on two water storage facilities. Those strikes have reportedly affected more than ۲۰,۰۰۰ civilians.
Mina, ۴۱, a mother of two, has been rationing water and paying for water cans for daily chores in the days since June’s attacks. She says further strikes would worsen already dire living conditions as temperatures rise above ۴۵C.
“We have a water shortage every year, but last month’s attacks on the drinking water plants mean we need to not only prepare for yearly water crises during summer but also for any new attacks like the one last night. Everyone is fearful, especially since we have been regularly targeted,” she adds.
Many families rely on fishing and maritime work, and leaving in the face of a full-blown war would be a difficult decision, Mina says.
“We can afford to leave for a few days, but not for a long time, and at this point we have no idea what to prepare for. We feel abandoned and in the dark.”
Asked what her friends and family intend to do if the conflict escalates, Noor says, “We have to stay here because our livelihoods depend on it. I am afraid they [the regime] will once again shut down the internet completely if the war begins.”
After an ۸۸-day internet blackout imposed by Iranian authorities, connectivity was partially restored in May, but many people had by then already lost their income.
Ahead of another night of anxiety, the residents said there was little hope the ceasefire will hold.
Mohsen, another resident of Bandar Abbas, saidhe felt hopeless and insecure.
“When the ceasefire happened, I felt that perhaps peace and calm could return to our lives, and we had started working on healing our psychological trauma. But then the bombings have started again, and the feelings of despair, hopelessness and insecurity have become stronger,” he wrote.
Mohsen described being trapped in a cycle of endless unanswered questions.
“What will happen after this? How are we supposed to plan for the continuation of our lives? How long are we going to remain in this terrifying state of limbo?”
