Chicago – August 30, 2026
US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, a US official confirmed, marking the first known American military action against targets inside Iran since late July.
According to the official, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel were observed preparing to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the strategically vital waterway, prompting the preemptive strike. US Central Command had completed clearing sea mines from international shipping lanes in the strait the previous week and said it remains prepared to protect the free flow of commerce.
Iranian state media and semi-official outlets reported explosions near the island, with the IRGC vowing retaliation and “punishment” for what it described as a US attack that killed and wounded several fighters and civilians. Tasnim news agency, affiliated with the Guards, characterized the operation as a US drone strike and cited unofficial reports of at least two deaths and two injuries.
The incident escalates tensions in the Gulf after a month-long pause in US strikes ordered by President Donald Trump, and comes amid heightened scrutiny of shipping security following a reported projectile strike on a tanker in the strait on Saturday.
