The United States has struck Larak Island in southern Iran in the first attack against the country since late July, a US official has confirmed to Al Jazeera.
Tehran vowed to retaliate for Sunday’s attack. The strikes risk renewing the military confrontation as the US shifts from the bombing campaign to a financial pressure strategy as the US-Israel war on Iran enters its seventh month.
The US official said the strikes targeted launchers that were set to fire rockets carrying mines towards the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Fars News Agency had reported that explosions were heard near the island. Later on Sunday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the attack by the “American-Zionist enemy”, saying that it resulted in the killing and injuring of several soldiers.
“This act will be responded to by the sons of Islamic Iran and will result in punishment of the aggressor,” the IRGC said in a statement.
In recent weeks, the US has been claiming control over the strategic waterway, saying that it is managing to get millions of barrels of oil through the strait under its military protection even as Iran blockades the waterway.
Still, attacks on ships in Hormuz have been reported almost daily, and Iran has maintained that the strait is closed.
Sunday’s strikes show that the US is still willing to use military force despite the focus on sanctions to pressure Iran to make concessions over its nuclear programme and claims of control over Hormuz.
Iran has previously responded to similar US attacks by launching missiles and drones at military bases hosting US troops in neighbouring countries.
Last week, the administration of US President Donald Trump announced a push to isolate Iran financially by threatening secondary sanctions against countries and companies that do business with Tehran.
But Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has warned that the US is still prepared to use military force if needed.
US officials have been touting what they describe as Iran’s loss of control over Hormuz while arguing that the country is on the verge of economic collapse due to sanctions and the military blockade against its ports.
Tehran, however, has remained defiant, stressing that it is prepared for a long conflict.
On Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed reports that the US is managing to get large amounts of oil out of Hormuz.
“Our intelligence shows major efforts to game energy markets,” Araghchi wrote on X. “US Govt elements use gullible media to influence prices for personal gain and keep [Trump] mired in a losing war. Israel-aligned actors also promote war with rosy assessments. U.S. consumers feel the real bottom line.”
Despite the reports of the US ending – or at least easing – Iran’s control of Hormuz, oil prices have remained high amid supply uncertainty.
The average price of one gallon (3.8 litres) of petrol in the US is still more than $4, up from less than $3 when the US and Israel launched the war late in February.
The skyrocketing energy prices, which are fuelling inflation in the US, could hurt Trump’s Republican Party’s chances of maintaining control of Congress in the midterm elections in November.
