Explosions Rock Iran as Israel Denies Involvement
Two explosions were reported in Iran on Saturday, January 31, 2026, resulting in multiple casualties and heightened tensions in the region. One blast occurred in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, while the other took place in Ahvaz, over 1,000 kilometers away, according to local media reports. Israel has denied any involvement in the incidents.
The explosion in Bandar Abbas, a residential complex, resulted in the death of a four-year-old girl and injured 14 others, according to local media. Hormozgans Crisis Management Organisation stated that investigations into the cause of the Bandar Abbas incident are ongoing. The blast severely damaged the lower floors of an eight-story building and shattered windows throughout the structure, according to Euronews.
In Ahvaz, local officials reported that four people were killed in the second explosion. Local media attributed both incidents to gas explosions.
The explosions occurred amid a backdrop of ongoing regional tensions.
Meanwhile, in other international news, Israeli strikes in Gaza reportedly killed at least 29 Palestinians on Saturday, according to hospital sources. The strikes hit locations in northern and southern Gaza, including an apartment building and a police station in Gaza City, as well as a tent in Khan Younis, officials at hospitals that received the bodies said.
Also on Saturday, thousands of protesters marched across US cities during an anti-ICE strike. Demonstrators marched in Minneapolis on Friday as part of a nationwide National Shutdown demonstration against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Crowds marched with signs blasting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in response to a call for a "national shutdown" across the United States. Demonstrators chanted slogans such as "shut it down" and "ICE out," calling for an end to the agency's operations.
In Venezuela, President Delcy Rodríguez proposed an amnesty law that would cover political prisoners detained since 1999, excluding cases of murder, drug trafficking, and human rights violations. Rodríguez instructed the Judicial Revolution Commission to prepare the legal text for a vote in the National Assembly.
Discussion
Join the conversation
Be the first to comment