Explosions ripped through Bushehr province in Iran on July 9, hitting both the city of Bushehr and the critical energy hub of Asaluyeh. Press TV, Iran’s English-language state broadcaster, confirmed the blasts, with Iranian officials attributing them to defensive actions against US MQ-9 Reaper drones and a projectile strike on a nearby military target.
No casualties have been confirmed. And critically for energy markets, Iranian officials say the reactor core at the country’s only active nuclear power plant sustained no damage. Asaluyeh anchors the South Pars gas field, one of the largest natural gas reserves on the planet, and serves as a major petrochemical nerve center for the entire region.
