Iran and U.S. exchange strikes after attacks on Larak Island; two killed
U.S. strikes on rocket launchers at Larak Island prompted Iranian retaliation and reports of a downed U.S. drone; Jordan intercepted rockets.
Iran and the United States traded strikes after U.S. forces hit two rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, in what U.S. officials described as the first known American strikes since the end of July. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard said two people were killed, vowed retaliation and punishment, and reported it had shot down a U.S. drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
Escalation in the Strait of Hormuz
U.S. Central Command said it carried out "a limited, precise action against forces emplacing mines in the Strait of Hormuz." The statement framed the strikes as targeted operations against units involved in preparing mines, while avoiding a broader characterization of offensive action.
Iran responded with strikes on U.S. bases in Jordan, state media reported. The exchanges mark a noticeable uptick in direct confrontations between Tehran and American forces in the region.
The Jordanian army said it intercepted eight rockets this morning. Authorities reported no immediate information about casualties or damage from those strikes.
Adding to the confusion around the events, former U.S. president Donald Trump posted a video purporting to show the destruction of Harg Island; U.S. and regional officials described that video as false. The incidents — strikes, missile interceptions and a downed drone — underline how rapidly tensions can spread across several countries bordering the Gulf.
Photo: AP)
