Iran's Darkhovin Nuclear Plant Construction Site Attacked by US

The construction area of the Darkhovin Nuclear Power Plant in Khuzestan Province, southwestern Iran, was attacked by United States missiles on Sunday, according to the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI). In a statement published on its official website, the AEOI said the attack occurred at 03:39 local time (07:09 WIB), calling it an ‘aggressive and brutal act’ that violates Iran’s national sovereignty and international law. The AEOI did not mention whether there were any casualties or material damage resulting from the attack. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Sunday that it had stopped two vessels committing ‘violations’ by attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz via unsafe routes. In a statement published on the IRGC’s official media, Sepah News, the navy stated that four violating vessels ignored warnings, switched off their navigation systems, and attempted to cause ‘disruption’ in the strait and cross it via unsafe routes with US support. The navy further stated that two of the vessels ‘suffered accidents’ and were stopped, while the other two were blocked from continuing their journey on their routes. The IRGC Navy stated the strait is under the full control of its forces, and the only safe route to cross the waters is the one designated by Iran. No oil, gas, or chemical fertilisers can be transported through the strait without coordination with Iran and its permission, the navy added. Iran has tightened its control over the Strait of Hormuz since 28 February, when it banned safe passage for vessels owned by or affiliated with Israel and the US following joint strikes by the two countries on Iranian territory. Over recent days, the US has launched several waves of attacks against Iran, claiming the strikes were a response to actions by Iranian armed forces targeting vessels in the strait and aimed at ‘degrading Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping.’ On Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that US forces had completed an eighth round of strikes against ‘coastal surveillance and air defence facilities, maritime capabilities, and military missile and drone storage sites in Iran,’ while more than 50,000 US troops in the Middle East remain on ‘high alert.’ Iran has retaliated with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting US bases and facilities in the region.