The United States has launched an airstrike on Larak Island in southern Iran, marking the first attack on the country since late July, a US official confirmed to Al Jazeera. The strikes targeted launchers that were allegedly set to fire rockets carrying mines towards the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping route.
Tehran vowed to retaliate for Sunday's attack, risking a renewal of military confrontation as the US shifts from bombing to financial pressure in the seventh month of the US-Israel war on Iran. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the attack by the "American-Zionist enemy", reporting several soldiers killed and injured. In a statement, the IRGC declared: "This act will be responded to by the sons of Islamic Iran and will result in punishment of the aggressor."
In recent weeks, the US has claimed control over the strategic waterway, asserting that it is managing to get millions of barrels of oil through the strait under military protection, even as Iran blockades the waterway. However, attacks on ships in Hormuz have been reported almost daily, and Iran maintains that the strait is closed.
Sunday's strikes demonstrate that the US is still willing to use military force despite the focus on sanctions to pressure Iran over its nuclear program and alleged control of Hormuz. Iran has previously responded to similar US attacks by launching missiles and drones at military bases hosting US troops in neighboring countries.
Last week, the Trump administration announced a push to isolate Iran financially by threatening secondary sanctions against countries and companies doing business with Tehran. But Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned that the US is still prepared to use military force if needed.
US officials have been touting what they describe as Iran's loss of control over Hormuz while arguing that the country is on the verge of economic collapse due to sanctions and the military blockade against its ports. Tehran, however, remains defiant, stressing its readiness for a long conflict.
On Saturday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed reports that the US is managing to get large amounts of oil out of Hormuz. "Our intelligence shows major efforts to game energy markets," Araghchi wrote on X. "US Govt elements use gullible media to influence prices for personal gain and keep Trump mired in a losing war. Israel-aligned actors also promote war with rosy assessments. U.S. consumers feel the real bottom line."
Despite reports of the US ending or easing Iran's control of Hormuz, oil prices remain high amid supply uncertainty. The average price of a gallon of petrol in the US is still above $4, up from less than $3 when the war began in late February. The skyrocketing energy prices, fueling inflation, could hurt Trump's Republican Party's chances of maintaining control of Congress in the November midterm elections.
Source: www.aljazeera.com