US Conducts Limited Strike on Iranian Minelaying Units in Strait of Hormuz
US forces struck Iranian IRGC minelaying launchers on Larak Island, prompting Iranian missile and drone retaliation on US bases in Jordan.
The United States military has carried out what it describes as a "limited and precise" operation against Iranian minelaying forces in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM). The action, announced on Sunday, targeted launchers belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Larak Island.
CENTCOM stated that the IRGC's mining operations posed an "imminent threat" to the strategic waterway, through which a significant portion of global oil trade passes. The US said the strike was intended to "protect civilian mariners, commercial shipping, and the free flow of global commerce." The command also dismissed an IRGC characterization of the strike as "aggression," calling that claim "absolutely FALSE."
This marks the first known US strike against Iranian forces since late July. CENTCOM spokesperson Tim Hawkins confirmed that two Iranian launchers were hit on Larak Island.
In response, the IRGC announced on Monday that it had launched a combined missile and drone attack on US air bases in Jordan. According to a statement on Sepah News, the IRGC's official outlet, the strikes targeted "technical and maintenance infrastructure" and areas where "enemy fighter jets" were stationed at the King Hussein and Al-Azraq bases, inflicting heavy damage.
Separately, CENTCOM said the US Navy destroyer USS Delbert D. Black was operating in the Arabian Sea as part of an ongoing blockade against Iran. The command also reported that it has directed 83 commercial vessels to alter their routes, disabled three vessels that did not comply, and boarded and inspected two vessels to ensure compliance with blockade requirements.