Iran faces severe rolling blackouts as heatwave and US strikes damage grid

Iran is experiencing daily rolling blackouts as a severe heatwave and recent U.S. military strikes have damaged the national electricity network. The grid has lost about 4,200 megawatts of capacity, with damage reported at more than 2,000 substations across the country, including strikes on a power plant on Kish Island and distribution networks in Bandar Abbas, Jask and Chahbahar.

The outages are disrupting daily life: students at Sharif University of Technology report cancelled exams and classes, hospitals rely on generators for ventilators, and small businesses use noisy portable generators to keep perishable goods from spoiling. Tehran officials blame the damage on recent bombings of electrical facilities.

The energy crisis is unfolding alongside rising regional tensions. Israel reported missile launches from Iran toward Jordan’s Red Sea city of Aqaba, while Kuwait and Bahrain experienced attacks on power and desalination facilities. Arab leaders warned that the U.S.–Iran confrontation could deepen violence across the Middle East.