US Hits Iranian Launch Sites on Larak Island as Tensions Surge in the Strait of Hormuz

The United States has carried out its first known strike inside Iran since late July, targeting two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island. A US official confirmed the operation, saying American forces acted after observing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) units preparing to fire rockets equipped with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command spokesman Cdr Tim Hawkins told CBS News that the launchers posed an immediate threat to commercial shipping in one of the world’s most vital waterways.

Iran said the Sunday attack killed and wounded several personnel, vowing swift “response and punishment.” IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi condemned the strike as a “strategic and fatal mistake by the Trump regime,” warning that the United States would face consequences “in both the economic and military fields.” Tasnim News, an outlet affiliated with the IRGC, reported that the strike was carried out by drones and that two people were killed and two others injured.

The strike marks a significant escalation, coming weeks after President Donald Trump paused a renewed military campaign against Iran. Earlier this month, Washington declared that all Iranian‑laid mines in the strait’s main shipping lane had been detonated or removed. Trump also warned that any vessel deploying new mines would be destroyed. Tehran dismissed the claim as “propaganda,” with Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi accusing Washington of manufacturing a narrative to justify further military action.

The confrontation unfolds as Iran tightens control over tanker traffic near Larak Island, reportedly forcing vessels to undergo inspection and pay up to $2 million to pass. The strait through which a fifth of the world’s oil supply normally flows has become the epicenter of a dangerous standoff, with both nations signaling they are prepared to escalate further.

With global energy markets already rattled, the latest strike underscores how quickly the conflict could spiral, threatening not only regional stability but the world’s economic lifelines.