US Strikes Larak Island in First Attack on Iran in Over a Month

US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday night, according to US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, who spoke to the AFP news agency. The attack was the first US strike on Iran in over a month, as reported by Deutsche Welle.

The strike came as part of ongoing tensions over the strategic waterway, where the US imposed a naval blockade on Iran in April after Iran blocked most international shipping in late February, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

CENTCOM reported that, as of August 30, it had redirected 83 commercial vessels, disabled three, and boarded two to ensure compliance with the blockade. The US said last week that it had finished clearing Iranian sea mines from the strait's international shipping routes, as reported by Deutsche Welle.

Iranian Forces Claim Retaliatory Strikes

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed retaliation for the attack on Larak Island, and subsequent statements from Iranian military forces reported a series of retaliatory operations.

The Iranian Army claimed it carried out drone strikes at the Al Minhad airbase in the UAE, saying the attack targeted "the locations of the helicopters and forces of the child-killing US military" in response to US attacks on Larak Island. The statement, as carried by Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency, said the strikes were "in retaliation for the martyrdom of the brave personnel of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and innocent Iranian compatriots on Larak Island."

Separately, the IRGC said it conducted a missile and drone operation against the US King Hussein and Al-Azraq air bases in Jordan, also in retaliation for the US attack on Larak Island, according to Lokmat Times.

Iranian media reported explosions near Larak Island following the initial strike.

US and UAE Responses

US Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins said IRGC forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. He said the US military was monitoring the area closely and remained prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through the strategic waterway, as reported by Lokmat Times.

The UAE Ministry of Defence said on Monday that the UAE Air Force responded to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) detected over the country's territorial waters, approaching from Iran. The ministry stated that the Armed Forces remain on a high state of readiness to address any potential threats, with air defence systems continuing to monitor and safeguard the country's airspace around the clock. The ministry also urged the public to rely exclusively on official sources for information and to refrain from circulating rumours or inaccurate information.

Casualties and Further Developments

The IRGC said several military personnel and civilians were killed or wounded in what it described as a "US-Israeli" attack on Larak Island in Hormozgan province on Sunday night, according to Lokmat Times.