RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. U.S. forces on Sunday struck two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) rocket launchers on Larak Island after surveillance detected crews were preparing to fire rockets loaded with sea mines toward the Strait of Hormuz.
The strike ends a month-long lull in direct U.S.– Iran fighting and reopens a dangerous front in a war that started six months ago. It immediately triggered vows of retaliation from Tehran, raising the likelihood of renewed escalation across a region already strained by attacks on ships, bases, and critical infrastructure.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the launchers were destroyed and said American forces remain positioned to protect commercial shipping through the strait, a waterway that normally carries 20 percent of the world’s oil. Iranian state media reported that several soldiers and civilians were killed or wounded, though no confirmed toll has been released.
The attack comes just days after the Trump administration shifted its strategy toward economic pressure, highlighting how fragile the ceasefire had become.
Captain Tim Hawkins, CENTCOM spokesperson, told Newsweek , "Last week, CENTCOM completed clearing sea mines from the strait’s international shipping routes. U.S. forces are monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through this essential waterway."
The IRGC responded through state media that the strike “will be responded to with punishment on the aggressor.”
American officials say the IRGC crews were observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines—an escalation that would have immediately threatened commercial vessels attempting to navigate the already perilous strait.
According to Hawkins, the launchers were positioned on Larak Island, a strategic outpost Iran has used repeatedly throughout the war to harass shipping and test U.S. red lines.
The U.S. military has spent weeks clearing mines Iran previously placed in the strait, a painstaking operation that CENTCOM says restored safe passage to international shipping lanes.
Even with mines removed, the threat remains acute, however, as Iran still has enough drones, missiles, and short-range rockets to strike vessels attempting transit. U.S. Navy ships, Air Force jets, and Army helicopters have been tasked with monitoring the strait and are authorized to attack Iranian forces that threaten commercial traffic.
The strike also reflects the Trump administration’s insistence that the strait must remain open. The U.S. Navy has been guiding vessels through Omani waters, urging commercial operators to resume passage despite the risks.
Iranian state media reported explosions near Larak Island and said several IRGC fighters and civilians were killed or injured. A IRGC spokesperson, General Hossein Mohebi, called the strike a “fatal mistake by the Trump regime during the economic war,” warning that consequences would be felt “militarily and economically.”
Tehran has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to retaliate across multiple fronts. Since the war began on February 28, Iranian forces have targeted U.S. bases and infrastructure in Gulf countries, struck vessels in the strait, and launched missiles into neighboring countries. Iran's leadership has also undergone significant reshuffling in recent weeks, signaling a hardening posture and a refusal to negotiate under pressure.
The risk of escalation is high. A return to open conflict could trigger more attacks on ships, more strikes on U.S. positions, and further destabilization of Gulf shipping routes. Already, at least 71 attacks on vessels have occurred since the war began, killing 19 merchant sailors, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has recorded.
The strait remains technically open, but passage is dangerous and sharply reduced. A multinational coalition overseen by the U.S. Navy said Sunday that commercial traffic is moving at “reduced levels.”
Many shipping companies have rerouted vessels to avoid the area entirely. Saudi Arabia, the region’s largest oil producer, has shifted more crude exports to the Red Sea, bypassing the strait.
Iran has tried to assert control by creating a new system that charges ships for passage—something never done before the war. Tehran argues that even after it finalizes a management plan with Oman, the U.S. cannot use the strait until it fulfills obligations under a June memorandum of understanding.
The agreement briefly reopened the waterway, allowing more than 60 ships per day to pass for three days before collapsing.
On Saturday, an unknown projectile struck a tanker north of Khasab, Oman, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO). No casualties were reported.
The strike comes at a moment when the administration had publicly shifted toward economic pressure rather than military escalation. President Donald Trump has threatened to punish any country or entity conducting business with Tehran, arguing that sanctions can force Iran to the negotiating table.
The U.S. is also weighing diminished munitions stockpiles after months of war, raising concerns about readiness in other regions.
Trump has repeatedly said he is “not in a hurry” to end the conflict and insists Iran’s leadership is weakened. He has emphasized that U.S. and Israeli strikes have devastated Iran’s navy and air force. Iranian officials say the country has suffered $270 billion in direct and indirect damage, and Israeli strikes early in the war wiped out much of the government’s senior leadership.
Sunday’s strike was the first acknowledged U.S. attack on Iran since July 29 when CENTCOM struck dozens of targets inside the country, including command centers, missile facilities, and coastal surveillance sites.
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