WASHINGTON: The United States has struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island near the Strait of Hormuz, according to a US official, in the first known American attack on Iran since President Donald Trump paused a renewed military campaign in late July.
US Central Command (Centcom) spokesman Cdr Tim Hawkins said Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces had been observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, according to CBS News.
The IRGC said the Sunday attack killed two people and wounded two others, describing the strike as a “strategic and fatal mistake by the Trump regime” and warning that the United States would face consequences.
🚫CLAIM: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed in a recent statement that strikes by U.S. forces to prevent the IRGC from placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz were an “act of aggression.” This claim is absolutely FALSE.
✅FACT: U.S. forces took limited,… pic.twitter.com/XLx8xNTHto
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 31, 2026
Larak Island lies just offshore from Bandar Abbas and directly alongside the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.
Iran Claims Missile Strikes On US Bases
Hours after the Larak Island attack, Iranian state media reported that the IRGC had launched ballistic missiles at US military targets in Jordan in retaliation.
The IRGC said it targeted the King Hussein and Al-Azraq bases, claiming “heavy damage” to technical infrastructure, maintenance facilities and positions used by US fighter jets.
Jordan’s armed forces said it intercepted eight missiles that entered its airspace early on Monday.
“Air defence systems intercepted eight missiles that breached the Kingdom’s airspace at dawn today, Monday,” the army said in a statement carried by the state-run Petra News Agency.
Trump Posts Videos Of Iranian Oil Infrastructure
Trump later posted apparent AI-generated videos on Truth Social showing oil infrastructure exploding.
One video was captioned “Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!!”, referring to Iran’s major oil export terminal. Trump has previously threatened to strike the facility.
Last week, Mr Trump said Iranian mines placed in the Strait of Hormuz had either been detonated or removed and warned that any vessel attempting to deploy new mines would be destroyed.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi dismissed the claim as “propaganda”.
Pressure On Tehran Intensifies
The latest military escalation comes as Iran faces renewed economic pressure from Washington.
The US announced a fresh sanctions campaign on 24 August aimed at further isolating Tehran and expanding secondary sanctions against countries and entities supporting Iran.
Iranian officials and state media have largely portrayed the measures as an extension of previous US economic pressure, arguing that Washington’s military campaign had failed to achieve its objectives.
The US and Israel launched extensive strikes on Iran on 28 February, triggering Iranian attacks on Israel, US bases and allied states in the Gulf. The conflict also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic.
Before the war, roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments travelled through the strategically vital waterway.
The latest strikes risk opening another dangerous chapter in the conflict, with the Strait of Hormuz once again at the centre of military and economic tensions.
