Iran's port explosion: Over 45 dead
The Director General of Hormozgan's Crisis Management Department, Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, noted that 1,072 injured people have been discharged from hospitals, while 138 others remain hospitalized. Nine critically injured patients were transferred to medical facilities outside Hormozgan Province for specialized treatment, according to IRNA.
Iranian officials have launched an investigation into the cause of Saturday's explosion, but no specific details have yet been released.
The Spokesperson for the Iranian Red Crescent, Mojtaba Khaledi, urged the public to avoid traveling to Hormozgan Province and Bandar Abbas, adding that Red Crescent support teams had begun search operations for missing persons and were updating the families of victims and the injured with the latest developments.
Meanwhile, Iran's Mehr News Agency reported that firefighting teams had managed to control more than 80% of the fires sparked by the explosion. The blast also caused a tremor felt by residents in nearby areas, with the sound of the explosion reaching up to 20 kilometers from the site.
The blast caused significant damage to one of the 23 piers at Shahid Rajaee Port, which spans 2,400 hectares and has an annual cargo capacity of 70 million tons, prompting several countries to express solidarity with Iran and offer assistance.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
19 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Gaza faces ‘healthocide' while protests in Israel demand ceasefire
Shafaq News – Gaza Seven people, including two children, died within 24 hours from malnutrition in Gaza, amid what the Health Ministry described as a health and psychological genocide, while calls intensified for a ceasefire to end the suffering. فلسطينيون يشيعون جثامين عدد من الشهداء من بينهم أطفال، في المستشفى الأهلى العربي بمدينة غزة. — شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) August 17, 2025 According to Munir Al-Barsh, Director-General at the ministry, the devastation extends beyond direct Israeli bombardment to what he called 'healthocide and psychocide'—a systematic destruction of the body and mind. He described how 38 hospitals have been reduced to only 15 partially functioning, more than half of Gaza's primary care centers are closed, and 183 ambulances have been destroyed. Nearly 1,600 healthcare workers have been killed, including 157 doctors, while hundreds more have been detained on duty. Famine is spreading rapidly, with 28,000 malnutrition cases documented this year, 40,000 infants and a quarter of a million children under five at risk of slow death, and nearly 90 percent of children under one suffering from anemia. Medical shortages have deepened the crisis: more than half of chronic disease treatments are unavailable, nearly two-thirds of cancer medicines are at zero stock, and almost half of children's vaccines have run out. Critical nutrition supplies are also exhausted, leaving 16,000 patients trapped without treatment abroad, with more than 1,100 dying while waiting for permits. The psychological toll is equally severe. Over one million children in Gaza are suffering from trauma—half with symptoms of post-traumatic stress—while 44,000 have lost one or both parents, and nearly 850 amputees now endure double trauma. UNRWA described conditions in Gaza as 'inhumane,' stressing the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire. Juliette Touma, the agency's Communications Director, warned that the world is 'very, very close' to losing its collective humanity, accusing Israel and the United States of replacing the UN-led aid system with a politically motivated mechanism that has only deepened chaos and deprivation. 'We are very, very close to losing our collective humanity,' our @JulietteTouma tells @ manmade famine in #Gaza has been largely shaped by the deliberate attempts to replace the UN-coordinated humanitarian system through the politically motivated 'GHF'.This… — UNRWA (@UNRWA) August 17, 2025 Amid these calls, protests intensified in Israel demanding a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza. According to The Times of Israel, marchers advanced toward the prime minister's residence, while police used water cannons to disperse demonstrators who blocked a key tunnel leading into Jerusalem, arresting seven people and bringing the total detained nationwide to 25. 'Arrest me, but the protest movement will continue,' one detainee declared as police encircled him on the roadside. Protesters block Begin highway to traffic as part of a nationwide strike to end the war — charlie summers (@cbsu03) August 17, 2025
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Shafaq News
Iraqi PM orders full investigation into Dr. Ban Ziyad's death
Shafaq News – Baghdad / Basra On Friday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered a thorough investigation into the death of Dr. Ban Ziyad Tariq, a psychiatrist whose sudden passing in Basra sparked public outrage and widespread skepticism over claims of suicide. A government source told Shafaq News that al-Sudani instructed authorities to closely follow the investigation, emphasizing transparency and urgency in announcing the results. He also stressed that the case must remain free from political exploitation. Dr. Ban, who gained national recognition through her mental health advocacy on social media, was found dead at her family home in Basra on August 4. While her family stated she died by suicide, conflicting testimonies and leaked details from the forensic report have fueled suspicions of foul play. Her colleagues maintain she showed no signs of psychological distress, and many are demanding an independent investigation into what they now believe could be a homicide. The Parliamentary Human Rights Committee issued urged a professional, impartial probe to determine whether her death resulted from health issues, professional pressures, or external factors. The committee also called on the Health Ministry and the Iraqi Medical Association to reassess working conditions in public hospitals and ensure psychological support for healthcare workers. In a broader appeal, the committee urged the government to take urgent action on women's rights, including the creation of a dedicated ministry for women, families, and children—drawing on international models that have helped mitigate gender-related stress and violence. Meanwhile, the Third Basra Investigative Court confirmed it has initiated formal proceedings under the direct supervision of a specialized judge. The court has recorded witness testimonies and statements from the family's legal representatives, and has ordered the detention of one suspect pending further inquiry. It is now awaiting the forensic report to determine the precise cause of death. The case has drawn national media attention and triggered a wave of public support. Several of Ban's colleagues and supporters have appeared on Iraqi television questioning the official narrative and calling for justice. The Health Ministry and the Medical Association have so far limited their response to official condolences and a memorial service.
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq's Basra Health denies Ban Ziyad–murder case link
Shafaq News – Basra Basra's Health Department has dismissed claims tying the death of Iraqi psychiatrist Ban Ziyad to the case of Dargham Abdul-Salem Naama, accused of murdering academic Sarah al-Aboudah. In a statement on Thursday, the department described the social media allegations that Ziyad was part of a committee tasked with assessing Naama's mental fitness as 'entirely baseless,' urging media outlets and the public to obtain information from official sources. Ziyad, a psychiatrist in Basra, was found dead last week in Baghdad's al-Mansour district under disputed circumstances, prompting the Ministry of Interior to launch a high-level investigation and sparking demands from dozens of citizens and activists for full transparency. Basra Governor Asaad al-Eidani told Shafaq News that an inquiry by the Basra Police Criminal Directorate pointed to possible suicide, noting that confirmation awaits forensic results and analysis of recordings found on her device.
