Key facts
- U.S. forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island.
- The strike occurred as Iranian forces were preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards stated the attack caused casualties and promised retaliation.
- This marks the first known U.S. strike on Iran since late July.
- The conflict has been ongoing for six months and has led to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. forces struck two Iranian launchers on Iran's Larak island on Sunday, a U.S. official confirmed, marking the first known American strikes on Iran since late July. The official stated that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards reported that the attack resulted in casualties among soldiers and citizens and vowed that Tehran would meet it with a "response and punishment." Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported the U.S. conducted a drone strike on the island.
U.S. President Donald Trump had previously stated that all mines had been detonated or removed from the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel placing new mines would be destroyed. The conflict, which has reached a stalemate in recent weeks, has been ongoing for six months and has led to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for global oil consumption.