A cargo ship anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran. A cargo ship is anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, viewed from the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on the 2nd. [ISNA·AP = Yonhap News]

As the peace talks between the United States and Iran face last-minute difficulties, explosions have been heard again in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz after three days, escalating tensions of armed conflict.

According to Reuters, U.S. officials stated on the 27th (local time) that U.S. forces carried out new airstrikes targeting Iranian military bases that were deemed a threat to U.S. troops and merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The official, who requested anonymity, added that several Iranian drones that posed a similar threat to U.S. forces were intercepted and shot down.

This report comes on the heels of previous reports by Iranian media stating that explosions were heard near Hormuz.

Local media reported that around 1:30 AM on the 28th, Iran's local time, three explosions were heard east of the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, followed by the activation of Iran's air defense system for several minutes.

Authorities are reportedly taking follow-up measures to confirm the cause of the explosions.

This is the first time explosions have been heard in southern Iran in three days, since the 25th.

At the time, U.S. Central Command announced that it had carried out airstrikes on some targets in southern Iran near the Strait of Hormuz, citing "self-defense."

Iran had immediately vowed retaliation at the time, but it has not been confirmed whether this was subsequently carried out.

The United States and Iran are engaged in a war of nerves, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for peace on the negotiation table.