US Forces Strike Iranian Launchers on Larak Island, Raising Tensions
Escalation of US-Iran Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz
By Kanishka Singh and Phil Stewart
Details of the US Strike on Larak Island
WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - U.S. forces struck two Iranian launchers on Iran's Larak Island on Sunday, a U.S. official said, marking the first known American strikes on Iran since late July.
Iran's Immediate Response
Iran responded by attacking U.S. forces stationed in Jordan, according to a Fox News reporter on Sunday, citing a U.S. source. Nearly all incoming missiles "have been intercepted at this point," the reporter's X post said, noting that there had been no significant impact so far.
US Official Statement
Of the initial U.S. strikes, the U.S. official said, "I can confirm that earlier today U.S. forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into Strait of Hormuz."
Reactions and Consequences
Iranian Government and Media Reports
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the attack killed and wounded several soldiers and citizens and would be met with a "response and punishment" from Tehran, Iranian state media reported.
Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported the U.S. carried out a drone strike on the island.
Statements from US Leadership
U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that all mines had been detonated or removed from the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran has been told that any ship or boat placing new mines will be destroyed.
Broader Context of the Conflict
Recent History of US-Iran Strikes
The last known U.S. strikes on Iran were in late July as the war has reached a stalemate in recent weeks with Washington threatening to impose costly sanctions on countries that support Iran.
Regional Escalation and Impact
The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28 and Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. bases. The Iran war has now crossed the six-month mark.
Humanitarian and Economic Effects
U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions of people. Eighteen U.S. service members have been killed in the conflict.
The war has led to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which before the conflict was used to transit about a fifth of the world's oil supply.
Additional Information on the Attack
Type of Weapons Used
The Iranian weapons launched at the U.S. base on Sunday were ballistic missiles, Axios reported.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Phil Stewart in Washington and Yasmine Ghania and Hatem Maher in Cairo; Editing by Edmund Klamann, Chris Reese and Bill Berkrot)