US forces have attacked two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, in the first known American strike on Iranian territory in weeks, after Washington said the launchers were being prepared for an attack involving sea mines.
American forces launched strikes on two rocket launchers on Larak Island, a small piece of land sitting right on the edge of the world’s most critical oil shipping route. US Central Command described it as a “limited, precise action” against minelaying forces posing an imminent threat.
Iran saw it very differently. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed two people were killed and two injured, vowing swift “response and punishment.”
That response came just hours later. Iran fired ballistic missiles at US military bases in Jordan. The Jordanian army confirmed intercepting eight missiles early Monday morning. Iranian state TV also claimed to have targeted an air base in the UAE, though Emirati officials quickly dismissed that as “unfounded,” while admitting they had shot down a drone.
The escalation is a stark reminder of where things stand. The conflict has now officially crossed the six-month mark.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian tried to strike a careful balance in a statement carried by state media. “We are not seeking war, but we will deliver a decisive response to the aggressors,” he said.
But the rhetoric on the American side is growing louder and more unpredictable. Hours after the Larak strike, Donald Trump posted AI-generated videos on Truth Social showing oil infrastructure exploding, captioned: “Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!!”
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Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi brushed off the post as mere “propaganda.”
Behind the scenes, the economic squeeze is tightening. The US continues a strict naval blockade, having recently disabled three vessels and redirected dozens more. Meanwhile, reports suggest Iran is forcing commercial tankers to pay up to $2 million just to pass through its waters.
For now, the missiles have stopped flying. But the underlying tension remains thick. Every intercepted drone and every blocked ship is just a spark waiting for the right wind.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
