US says it detected preparations to fire mine-laden rockets; two launch sites on Larak Island hit

Iran reports 2 dead, 2 wounded; IRGC vows to punish 'aggressors' as tensions in the strait flare again

An Iranian flag flutters in the wind as vessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island in southern Iran on May 16. [Getty Images]
An Iranian flag flutters in the wind as vessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island in southern Iran on May 16. [Getty Images]

US forces struck Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rocket launch sites in the Strait of Hormuz more than a month after halting military operations against Iran, citing intelligence that the IRGC was preparing to fire mine-laden rockets into the waterway. Iran immediately threatened retaliation, raising fears of renewed military confrontation around one of the world's most critical oil shipping lanes.

According to US officials, American forces struck two IRGC rocket launch sites on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz off southern Iran on Sunday morning (local time).

A US official said the strike was launched after movements indicating that the IRGC was preparing to fire mine-equipped rockets toward the Strait of Hormuz were detected.

Explosions and casualties were confirmed inside Iran. Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reported that blasts were heard near Larak Island. Tasnim News Agency said the US strikes killed at least two people and wounded two others.

The strikes came more than a month after President Donald Trump ordered a halt to military operations against Iran on July 24.

In the intervening period, the Trump administration had shifted its focus from direct military action to economic pressure, seeking to cut off Iran's financial lifelines through sanctions. Trump announced on Aug. 19 that he would launch a large-scale operation to economically isolate Iran, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled what he described as an "economic ostracization campaign" that would extend sanctions to third countries doing business with Tehran.

The latest strikes have raised questions about whether Washington is pivoting back to a military-first strategy toward Iran. It remains unclear whether the attack signals a full resumption of military operations or a more limited effort to secure control over the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which a significant share of the world's oil passes.

The timing is particularly notable: the strikes came just five days after Trump announced the clearing of mines from the strait.

On Tuesday, Trump said he had received a report from the US Navy that "all mines in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz have been removed and destroyed." He added that he had notified Iran that any vessel attempting to lay new mines would be immediately destroyed, and emphasized a "zero-tolerance policy" on mine-laying in the strait.

The fact that the targeted facilities were detected preparing to fire mine-equipped rockets has led analysts to interpret the strike as a direct extension of Trump's declared zero-tolerance stance on mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran swiftly vowed a forceful response.

The IRGC's public affairs office said in a statement that "the enemy's terrorist act targeting Larak Island will face a strong response, and the aggressors will be punished."

The statement added that "the United States and its Zionist enemies have once again revealed their malicious nature," saying the attack on Larak Island had left "several of our soldiers and compatriots killed or wounded."

With military clashes between the US and Iran resuming in the Strait of Hormuz, uncertainty over the extent of Iran's retaliation and any further US military action could weigh heavily on Middle East stability and global oil supply chains.


sjy@heraldcorp.com