U.S. strikes Iranian launchers on Larak Island

U.S. forces struck two Iranian launchers on Iran's Larak Island on Sunday, according to Axios, citing a U.S. official. The strike came after Revolutionary Guard forces were observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines toward the Strait of Hormuz, the official told Axios reporter Barak Ravid.globalbankingandfinance+1

Shortly after the reported strike, an explosion was heard near Larak Island, Iran's Fars news agency reported, adding that the cause was unknown.reuters+1

Strategic Chokepoint Under Fire

Larak Island sits at the narrowest stretch of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical waterways for global energy trade. The island has been a repeated target during the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. In July, Iranian state-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported a separate U.S. missile strike on the island, with residents describing a loud explosion. Additional blasts were reported near both Larak and neighboring Qeshm Island later that month.iranintl+3

The apparent effort by Revolutionary Guard forces to deploy sea mines underscores Iran's continued attempts to disrupt commercial shipping through the strait, which has been largely blocked by Iran since late February. The U.S. has previously struck Iranian missile systems, air defense installations, and IRGC small boats at multiple locations around the waterway.wikipedia+2

Months of Escalation

The strike is the latest in a months-long cycle of military confrontations between Washington and Tehran that has rattled energy markets and drawn in regional players. Diplomatic efforts have repeatedly stalled, with Iran and the U.S. exchanging fire as recently as May and July. Iran has launched ballistic missile attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East, while U.S. strikes have targeted missile production facilities, launch sites, and command centers across Iran.bbc+3

Iran's Tasnim news agency had earlier denied any new strikes hitting the island in a previous incident, attributing explosions to activity near the strait itself. No immediate Iranian government comment on Sunday's strike was reported.globalbankingandfinance