United States military forces carried out strikes against two Iranian launchers located on Larak island, according to a US official. The operation, which took place on Sunday, marks the first publicly confirmed American strike in the region since late July. The official stated that the action was a direct response to observations of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces preparing to launch rockets equipped with sea mines into the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media reported that the attack resulted in the death and injury of several soldiers and citizens. In a statement issued via the semi-official Fars news agency, an Iranian spokesperson warned that the United States would face both economic and military retaliation for the strike. Additionally, the Tasnim news agency reported that the US utilized a drone to conduct the strike on the island.
The incident occurred as regional tensions remain high. On Sunday night, Reuters cited a US source reporting that Iran had launched a retaliatory attack on American forces stationed in Jordan. The source indicated that all incoming missiles were successfully intercepted, with no significant impact reported at that time. These events follow comments made last week by Donald Trump, who claimed that all mines had been cleared from the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz, while warning that any vessels attempting to deploy new mines would be destroyed.
The ongoing conflict, which has now surpassed its six-month mark, has led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that previously accounted for approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil consumption. The broader conflict involving US, Israeli, and Iranian forces has resulted in thousands of deaths and millions of displacements, including the loss of 18 US service members. Washington has continued to threaten sanctions against nations providing support to Iran as the situation remains at a stalemate.
The US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February and Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases. The Iran war has now crossed its six-month mark.
