Iran says its southern port city of Sirik has been hit by an “enemy” strike, state news agency IRNA reported on Thursday evening, in a sharp new escalation in tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

IRNA, citing official sources, said the strike was military in nature. It gave no details on damage or casualties, and it did not say who carried out the attack. Iranian officials commonly use the term “the enemy” to refer to the United States and Israel.

Explosions were heard in Sirik on Thursday evening, according to the report. Sirik is a port city in Hormozgan province, on Iran’s southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which a large share of the world’s oil is shipped.

Oil prices rose after the report. Brent crude futures were up 3 percent, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 2.36 percent, according to Reuters.

01. What we know so far

  • IRNA reported an “enemy” strike on Sirik in Hormozgan province on Thursday evening.
  • The report called the strike military in nature, with no details on damage or casualties.
  • No one has claimed responsibility, and there is no independent confirmation of what was hit.
  • Oil prices rose sharply after the report, with Brent up 3 percent.

The reported strike came on a night of rising attacks across the region. Yemen’s Houthis said they had carried out drone attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia, including a pumping station on the East-West oil pipeline, an Aramco facility in Riyadh, Khamis Mushait airbase and Sharurah Airport. Saudi Arabia had not commented on the Houthi claims. The Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone heading towards Riyadh, and another drone in the Eastern Region.

Earlier on Thursday, US President Donald Trump said the United States “does not need a deal” with Iran. A senior spokesman for Iran’s armed forces warned that the response to any new attack by the United States would be “10 times” more severe, after Trump threatened that any future attack on Iran would be five times stronger than previous ones.

Iran’s foreign ministry also warned countries against helping any US military action, saying any direct or indirect involvement would be treated as a hostile act.

US Central Command, meanwhile, denied reports that it had asked Israel to prepare for a renewed war with Iran, calling them “mere speculation”.

The developments follow days of attacks in the region. Saudi air defences intercepted Houthi missiles and drones aimed at Riyadh and Mecca on Wednesday, and Iran said four oil tankers were hit by explosions in the Strait of Hormuz this week. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Sirik strike.