The United States announced on Sunday that it had carried out its first strikes against Iran since late July, targeting Iranian rocket launchers on a small island in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins said in a message to AFP, “Earlier today, US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.”
Days after Iran said it had completed the removal of explosives from the waterway, Washington said the US strikes aimed to prevent Tehran from deploying new sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has emphasised “economic warfare” rather than sustained military strikes against Iran in recent weeks.
Iran had previously closed the Strait of Hormuz after the United States and Israel launched strikes against the country on February 28. The strategic waterway carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil, making any disruption a major threat to global energy supplies.
“Last week, CENTCOM completed clearing sea mines from the strait’s international shipping routes,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command.
“US forces are monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through this essential waterway,” he said.
The most intense fighting ended with an April ceasefire, but sporadic attacks, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, have continued to undermine efforts to reach a lasting peace agreement.
The US military said its previous strike on Iran took place on July 29, following what it described as “an attempted surprise attack on US forces” in the region.
Earlier in July, US Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out strikes against Iran for 13 consecutive nights, marking one of the most intense periods of US military action during the conflict.
Iran Retaliates After US Strikes
In a new escalation of the conflict that has consumed the region, Iran bombed US military targets in the Middle East on Monday in retaliation for the first American strikes on its territory in a month.
In response to Sunday’s attack, Tehran’s formidable Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) claimed to have caused “heavy damage” by launching ballistic missiles against two US military air sites in Jordan, a country allied with Washington.
The Jordanian army claimed to have intercepted eight missiles, although it did not specify where they came from.
Tehran also claimed to have shot down a US drone over the Strait of Hormuz and attacked US military personnel at an air base in the United Arab Emirates.
Backstory…
The US has since tried to restore freedom of navigation through the waterway, while Iran has continued to use its strategic position around the strait as leverage. Shipping traffic has remained severely depressed, with vessel operators increasingly reluctant to risk passage because of threats from mines, missiles and other attacks.
There had been weeks of relative calm between Washington and Tehran, with diplomatic efforts involving Oman focused partly on reopening the strait. Those efforts raised hopes that the confrontation could be contained without another major round of US-Iran fighting.
Read Also: Trump Warns Iran of Heavy Strikes if Strait of Hormuz Stays Closed
