US airstrikes on Friday reportedly brought down a surveillance tower at Iran’s strategic Chabahar Port on the Gulf of Oman, marking the latest escalation in the ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran. The port, a vital maritime gateway and a key trade route for Afghanistan, has been targeted multiple times during the recent military campaign.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth shared an image showing the tower collapsing, claiming it was part of Iran’s maritime surveillance network used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to monitor and target commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz. According to the US Central Command, destroying the facility was intended to weaken the IRGC’s ability to coordinate maritime operations.
Iranian state media confirmed that Chabahar Port was struck for a third time but initially did not acknowledge the collapse of the surveillance tower. Iranian authorities maintained that the structure was responsible for overseeing commercial vessel movements into the port, although the IRGC is known to maintain an operational presence at several Iranian ports.
The attack has raised fresh concerns over maritime security in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest energy and trade corridors. Chabahar also holds strategic importance for regional connectivity, particularly for Afghanistan and India’s trade access to Central Asia. Notably, India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that the India-operated terminal at Chabahar Port was not damaged in the strikes and continues to remain operational.