MINAB, Iran — Two civilians from the rural village of Kargan, located in the Minab district of southern Iran, were injured after being struck by shrapnel from U.S. munitions. The incident occurred amid a dramatic escalation of regional hostilities, marked by heavy naval clashes and aerial strikes across Hormozgan Province.

According to local reports, the victims were in the vicinity of Kargan—a coastal village nears the Strait of Hormuz—when the explosion occurred. Shrapnel from a U.S.-manufactured weapon tore through the immediate area, striking two residents.

Local medical teams immediately transferred both individuals to a regional hospital in Minab. While their injuries from the flying metal fragments are being treated, emergency responders indicated that both are currently in stable condition.

The injuries come at a time of severe military friction in the region. Recent U.S. military operations, launched under the codename "Operation Epic Fury," have repeatedly targeted locations throughout southern Iran, including nearby Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, and naval facilities in the Minab and Sirik districts.

Iranian state media has reported intense naval skirmishes between Iranian forces and the U.S. Navy near the strategic shipping lanes of the Strait. Human rights groups and independent investigators have previously warned of the catastrophic toll on civilians in the Minab area, pointing to heavy reliance on long-range cruise missiles, such as Tomahawks, which have caused massive collateral damage in nearby urban and residential centers.

Local officials in Hormozgan Province condemned the strike, pointing out that rural villages like Kargan bear the compounding risk of stray ordnance and shrapnel due to their proximity to strategic coastal infrastructure. An investigation into the exact trajectory and model of the munition responsible for the injuries is underway, as forensic teams analyze the fragments recovered from the site.