US launches strikes on Iran for the first time since late July

US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, marking the first US strikes on Iranian territory since late July, a US official told Axios.

The operation came after a month of relative stagnation in direct military engagements and targeted systems that were allegedly being prepared to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.

The US official said American forces were “monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce” through the strategic waterway. The Strait of Hormuz narrows to about 39 kilometers (24 miles) between Larak Island and Oman’s Great Quoin Island.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said several fighters and civilians were killed and wounded in the strike and vowed to retaliate. Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that preliminary information indicated the attack was carried out by drones.

Further details on the impact of the strike were not immediately available.

US President Donald Trump recently said all mines had been removed from the Strait of Hormuz and warned of a “zero tolerance policy” toward any new mine placements. He also said Washington was using “Space Force” technology to monitor the area with high precision.

Iranian officials, meanwhile, have said that “no one except Iran knows the location” of the mines in the strategic waterway.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have remained high since the war began with US strikes on Iran in late February. Although Pakistan and Qatar mediated a memorandum of understanding between the sides in June, the US launched a two-week bombing campaign and reinstated a naval blockade in July following disputes over navigation in the strait.

It remains unclear whether the latest strike was a one-off operation or could mark the beginning of a renewed and sustained bombing campaign.

Stabil.Az