U.S. forces conducted precision strikes against two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, August 30, marking the first publicly acknowledged American military action against targets inside Iran in nearly a month.
According to a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces were observed preparing to launch rockets loaded with sea mines into the strategic waterway.
“I can confirm that earlier today U.S. forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island,” Hawkins said. “U.S. forces are monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through this essential waterway.
The strikes follow the recent completion of U.S. efforts to clear sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz’s main international shipping lanes. President Donald Trump had previously stated that all mines had been detonated or removed and warned that any vessel attempting to place new mines would be destroyed.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the attack, stating that it resulted in the “martyrdom and injury of several of our fighters and compatriots.” Iranian media, including the semi-official Tasnim news agency, described the operation as a drone strike and reported casualties. IRGC spokesperson Gen. Hossein Mohebi called the action a “strategic and fatal mistake” by the United States and vowed that Tehran would respond “in both the economic and military arenas.”
Iranian state media further reported that the IRGC launched ballistic missiles in retaliation against U.S.-operated bases in Jordan, including King Hussein and Al-Azraq (Muwaffaq Salti) airbases. U.S. sources indicated that the majority of incoming projectiles were intercepted with no significant impact reported.
The latest exchange comes as the intermittent conflict between the United States and Iran, which began in late February 2026, enters its seventh month. After a period of intensified airstrikes in July, hostilities had subsided in recent weeks, with the Trump administration shifting emphasis toward economic pressure measures, including threats of secondary sanctions against entities continuing business with Tehran.
Larak Island, a small Iranian territory located in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, sits along one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes. The waterway has been a central flashpoint throughout the conflict.