The United States has carried out air strikes against two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first US attacks on Iran since late July.

US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command (CENTCOM), said the strikes were conducted on Sunday after American forces observed members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) preparing to launch rockets and deploy sea mines into the strategic waterway.

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“Earlier today, US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz,” Hawkins said.

CENTCOM described the operation as a limited and precise action aimed at preventing what it called an imminent threat to shipping and commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

“US forces took limited, precise action against IRGC minelaying forces posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said in a statement on X.

The strikes came days after the US military announced that it had completed an operation to clear sea mines from international shipping routes in the strait.

US Warns It Will Protect Shipping

According to Hawkins, CENTCOM completed the clearing of sea mines from the strait’s international shipping routes the previous week.

“US forces are monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through this essential waterway,” he said.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, with a significant portion of global oil supplies passing through the waterway before the outbreak of the latest hostilities.

Iran’s effective closure of the strait has disrupted international trade and contributed to higher energy prices and shortages of fertiliser and other commodities.

Both major crude oil benchmarks rose by at least two per cent on Monday following the latest US strikes.

Tensions Continue Despite Ceasefire

The renewed US military action comes despite an April ceasefire that ended the most intense phase of fighting between the United States, Israel and Iran.

However, sporadic attacks, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, have continued to undermine efforts to reach a lasting peace agreement.

The Trump administration had increasingly prioritised what it described as “economic warfare” against Iran in recent weeks rather than sustained military operations.

The previous US strike on Iran occurred on July 29, following what the US military described as an attempted surprise attack on American forces in the region. Earlier in July, US forces had conducted attacks against Iranian targets for 13 consecutive nights.

During the conflict, Iran retaliated with attacks on US facilities and American allies across the Gulf, including targets in Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The latest strikes have heightened concerns over renewed escalation in the region, particularly given the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz to global energy supplies.