Key Takeaways
- Iran reports a U.S. projectile strike on the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant in Khuzestan province; no immediate casualties or radiological leaks have been confirmed.
- Jordanian authorities officially deny reports of an evacuation at the Port of Aqaba and King Hussein International Airport, contradicting a "credible threat" alert issued by the U.S. Embassy in Amman.
- The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has condemned the alleged strike as a "crime against international law," citing the facility's peaceful status under IAEA supervision.
- Regional maritime security remains critical as the IRGC reports "accidents" involving commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz that allegedly ignored navigation warnings.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announced on Sunday that U.S. projectiles targeted a construction site at the Darkhovin nuclear power plant in the southwestern province of Khuzestan. The strike, reported to have occurred at approximately 3:39 a.m. local time, hit a facility that has been under development since 2022 as part of Iran’s civil nuclear energy expansion. Iranian officials characterized the incident as a violation of international law, emphasizing that the site is a peaceful facility intended for power generation.
While Tehran has not yet released specific data on the extent of the damage, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has previously warned that strikes near nuclear infrastructure pose significant risks to regional safety. This latest development follows a series of reported U.S. military actions against Iranian infrastructure in response to the deaths of American service members in Jordan. The U.S. administration has not yet issued an official confirmation of the Darkhovin strike.
In a separate development, the Jordanian government has moved to stabilize public sentiment following a security alert from the U.S. Embassy in Amman. The embassy warned of a "specific and credible threat" to the city of Aqaba, advising Americans to avoid the international airport and seaport. However, a Jordanian government spokesperson stated that no potential threats have been recorded and that all facilities in Aqaba are operating as usual without any evacuation orders.
The General Manager of the Aqaba Jordanian Port Company confirmed that ships are present and handling operations are proceeding without interruption. This contradiction between U.S. intelligence warnings and local government reports comes as Jordan remains on high alert due to its proximity to regional conflict zones. The city of Aqaba is a vital economic hub for Jordan, handling over 13.3 million tonnes of cargo in the first half of 2026, a 12% increase year-on-year.
Tensions also remain high in the Strait of Hormuz, where the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy reported that two commercial vessels were forced to stop after entering "unsafe routes." According to Iranian state media, the vessels had allegedly disabled their navigation systems and ignored warnings from Iranian maritime authorities. This follows a memorandum of understanding signed in June 2026, through which Iran has asserted increased authority over shipping lanes in the strategic waterway.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.