Patients, including children receiving cancer treatment, were evacuated from a hospital in southwestern Iran on Thursday after missiles reportedly struck nearby. Iranian state media said the explosions near Shahid Baghaei Hospital in Ahvaz forced staff to move vulnerable patients as fresh US strikes intensified the conflict.
Ahvaz Hospital Evacuation
Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that missiles hit the area surrounding Shahid Baghaei Hospital, prompting an emergency evacuation. The medical facility treats cancer patients, including children undergoing chemotherapy and other intensive procedures.
Footage carried by Iranian media appeared to show medical workers moving children and other patients away from the building while explosions could be heard nearby. Families reportedly gathered outside the hospital as staff tried to maintain order and transfer patients to safer locations.
Fars news agency also reported that several missiles landed close to the hospital. Neither agency announced casualties inside the facility or confirmed that the hospital building had suffered direct structural damage. The United States had not publicly confirmed whether any military target near the hospital was part of its operation at the time of reporting.
US Iran Strikes Intensify
The reported hospital evacuation came during another wave of US military action against Iranian targets. US Central Command said American forces launched a second round of operations on Thursday against assets that Washington claims were being used to threaten commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said the operation began at 3 p.m. Eastern Time and was conducted under orders from President Donald Trump. The command described the strikes as part of an effort to hold Iran accountable and weaken its ability to disrupt shipping through the strategically important waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz carries a major share of global oil and gas shipments. Continued military activity around the route could threaten commercial vessels, raise insurance costs and create further pressure on global energy markets.
Hormuz Blockade and Belma Tanker
CENTCOM also said US forces intercepted an empty oil tanker that was allegedly attempting to breach a naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports. According to the command, a US aircraft fired Hellfire missiles at the smokestack of the Curaçao-flagged M/T Belma.
The strike reportedly disabled the tanker without sinking it or causing it to spill cargo. CENTCOM said the vessel was no longer travelling towards Iran. Independent details about the ship’s crew, ownership and condition were not immediately available.
The tanker incident shows that the conflict now extends beyond land-based military targets. Commercial shipping operators face increasing risks as the United States tightens maritime restrictions and Iran continues to challenge foreign military activity in nearby waters.
Explosions Across Southern Iran
Iranian media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Rask and Chabahar following the latest attacks. Additional blasts were reported near Qeshm, Bandar Imam Khomeini and Bushehr.
Bushehr is home to Iran’s only operational civilian nuclear power plant, making reports of nearby explosions especially sensitive. No confirmed damage to the nuclear facility was reported in the information available at the time.
The evacuation of children and cancer patients in Ahvaz highlights the growing humanitarian danger surrounding the conflict. Even when hospitals are not directly targeted, strikes near medical facilities can interrupt treatment, endanger patients and place severe pressure on emergency workers.
Relevant internal links: Global Conflicts category, previous US-Iran strike coverage, Strait of Hormuz shipping article, global oil market updates and Middle East news page.
