US airstrikes on Friday appeared to have collapsed a surveillance tower at Iran's Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a strategically important commercial hub and a key trade gateway for Afghanistan.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth shared an image showing the surveillance tower apparently collapsing. The image had earlier circulated on social media through activist accounts before being reposted by Hegseth.
Iranian state media acknowledged a third round of US strikes on the port but did not immediately confirm the collapse of the tower.
Tehran has described the structure as being used to monitor commercial traffic entering the port. However, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard also maintains a presence at ports across the country.
The strike comes as Washington broadens its military campaign against Iran, targeting critical military and transport infrastructure after accusing Tehran of threatening commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. At least seven people were killed in the latest wave of US strikes, while Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting US-linked sites in Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, further escalating tensions across the Gulf.
Chabahar has been targeted repeatedly in recent days as the conflict widens beyond military installations to include key logistics and maritime infrastructure. The port's location on the Gulf of Oman makes it strategically significant, as it provides direct access to the Arabian Sea while bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest energy shipping routes.
