WASHINGTON D.C., United States – US forces have struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island, marking the first known American attack on Iranian territory since late July and raising fresh tensions around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
A US official said the strikes targeted two launchers after forces observed members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
The US Central Command said the launchers posed a threat to shipping through the key waterway.
“Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into Strait of Hormuz,” US Central Command spokesman Commander Tim Hawkins said, according to CBS News.
The IRGC confirmed that the attack occurred on Sunday, saying several people were killed and wounded.
Iran vowed to respond to the strikes, describing the operation as a serious escalation.
Iran vows retaliation
IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi condemned the attack as a “strategic and fatal mistake by the Trump regime” and warned that the United States would face consequences.
He said Iran would respond to what he described as a miscalculation by Washington.
Iranian state-linked Tasnim news agency reported that the attack was carried out using drones and said two people were killed while two others were injured.
The reports could not immediately be independently verified.
The strike represents the first known US attack on Iranian territory since President Donald Trump paused a renewed American military campaign in late July.
Larak Island sits on key shipping route
Larak Island lies just off Iran’s southern coast near Bandar Abbas and directly overlooks the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.
The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and has become a major flashpoint during the conflict between Iran and the United States and its allies.
Iran has been accused of imposing restrictions on tanker traffic passing through the area, including requiring vessels to undergo checks and allegedly demanding payments for passage.
The strategic importance of the strait means any renewed disruption could have significant consequences for global energy markets and international shipping.
US says mines have been cleared
The United States said earlier this month that it had completed efforts to clear mines from the strait’s main shipping lane.
The US president said Iranian mines placed in the Strait of Hormuz as part of an effort to restrict shipping had either been removed or detonated.
Iran, however, rejected the claim.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi described Trump’s statement as a propaganda effort intended to influence perceptions of the situation in the waterway.
The latest US strike suggests Washington remains prepared to use military force if it believes Iran is attempting to threaten maritime traffic.
Fresh US sanctions increase pressure on Tehran
The military escalation comes as Washington continues to increase economic pressure on Tehran.
The United States announced a fresh sanctions campaign on August 24 targeting Iran and seeking to further isolate the Iranian economy while expanding secondary sanctions against countries and entities maintaining economic ties with Tehran.
Iranian officials and state media have largely dismissed the latest measures as an extension of previous American sanctions.
Tehran has accused Washington of using economic pressure after failing to achieve its objectives through military action.
Iran conflict enters sixth month
The latest confrontation is part of a wider conflict that began with extensive US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
Iran responded by attacking Israel, US military facilities and allied states in the Gulf, while the resulting escalation severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflict has now crossed the six-month mark.
Before the war, roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed through the Strait of Hormuz, making the waterway crucial to global energy markets.
Any renewed attempt to close or restrict the route could therefore trigger higher energy prices, increase shipping costs and intensify pressure on economies dependent on imported fuel.
