Iran and the United States have exchanged attacks after US forces attacked two rocket launchers on the island of Larak in the Strait of Hormuz. The first known US strikes against Iran since late July killed two people and wounded two others, according to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which promised “response and punishment.” Hormuz.” Iran said it had attacked US military bases in Jordan in response. Jordan’s military said it had intercepted eight missiles early Monday morning. Separately, Iran’s state television said the Iranian military had attacked an air base in the United Arab Emirates with drones. However, the UAE Defense Ministry said reports that Al-Minhad air base was attacked were “baseless”. The UAE confirmed it shot down a drone. The attack The US attack is the first known attack on Iran since President Donald Trump halted a renewed military campaign in late July. Larak Island lies off the coast of the key port of Bandar Abbas and lies right on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global shipping, and Iran now reportedly requires tanker traffic to pass through it for control. reports, forcing vessels to pay $2m (£1.5m) to cross. Iran’s IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency previously said the attack on Larak was carried out by drones. Hours later, Iranian media published a statement from the IRGC saying it had attacked King Hussein and al-Azraq’s US bases in Jordan with ballistic missiles in response to the attack on Larak Island. Iran said on Monday that it “strongly condemned the US military aggression on Larak,” saying the attacks on bases in Jordan were a “legitimate defense.” Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a statement cited by state television: “We do not seek war, but we will give a decisive response to the aggressors,” according to AFP Hours after the US attack, Trump posted apparent artificial intelligence videos on Truth Social showing the explosion. oil infrastructure. One of them said: “Kharg Island is blown up!!!” in reference to a major oil terminal off the coast of Iran that Trump has threatened to seize. His post did not elaborate. Trump said last week that all mines placed in the Strait of Hormuz by Iran as part of its efforts to block the route had been detonated or removed. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi described Trump’s claim as a “propaganda” hoax. Iran faces renewed economic pressure after Washington announced a new sanctions campaign on August 24 aimed at further isolating Tehran and expanding secondary sanctions against its allies. Iranian officials and state media have largely dismissed the campaign as a continuation of earlier US economic measures, which they say followed Washington’s military failure in the recent conflict. The United States is also continuing a naval blockade of Iran, which has affected Iran’s ability to export oil. On Saturday, Centcom said it had disabled three ships, boarded two and diverted 82 as part of the blockade. The United States and Israel launched wide-ranging attacks on Iran on February 28, to which Iran responded by attacking Israel, US bases and allied states in the Gulf, and effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic. the six months.
