Iran and the United States exchanged attacks for the first time in more than a month during the early hours of Monday morning, in a confrontation that threatens to reignite conflict after weeks of relative military calm.
Iran launched missiles towards US military targets in Jordan, in response to a US strike targeting Iranian missile launchers. Washington said it was preparing to launch sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane that has become the focus of regional tensions and diplomatic efforts.
Six months into the ongoing conflict, the two countries are locked in a confrontation over control of the strait, which represents a vital artery for global energy supplies. Tehran asserts its claimed right to manage shipping traffic through it, by launching repeated attacks on ships, while the United States insists on keeping shipping traffic open, by escorting ships and imposing a military blockade on Iranian ports.
The exchange of attacks came just days after US President Donald Trump declared the strait free of mines, and represents a departure from a recent shift in Washington policy, which has focused on increasing economic pressure on Iran rather than military moves.
US Central Command (Centcom) spokesman Tim Hawkins said that the US strike carried out on Sunday targeted two Iranian missile launchers on the Iranian island of Lark, after US forces spotted Iranian forces preparing to launch missiles loaded with mines towards the strait.
US Central Command stated in a subsequent post on the “X” platform, formerly Twitter, that the US military carried out “limited and precise action” against “Iranian mine-laying forces that pose an imminent threat” in this vital waterway.
She added: "Iran created the threat, and the US military eliminated it to protect civilian sailors, commercial shipping, and the free flow of global trade."
Residents reported hearing an explosion near the island, a small land mass off the coast of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, according to what was reported by official media, which reported deaths and injuries among Iranian forces and civilians.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard said, in a statement broadcast by the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation (IRIB), that the US strike “was a grave strategic mistake” on the part of the Trump administration, and vowed to respond.
Later, the Revolutionary Guard announced launching missile and drone attacks on two American military bases in Jordan.
The Jordanian Armed Forces said on Monday that air defense systems intercepted and destroyed eight missiles that entered the Kingdom's airspace. The army added that the projectiles were neutralized before they posed any threat to civilians or property, according to the official Jordanian news agency, Petra.
Last week, US Central Command completed the process of removing sea mines from international shipping lanes in the Strait, according to what the Trump administration announced.
Trump said last Tuesday: “Iran has been informed that any ship or boat that lays new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed.”
A US official added: "US forces are closely monitoring the region and remain prepared to protect the free movement of trade through this vital waterway."
When CNN requested comment on the latest strikes, the White House referred the network to US Central Command.
Half a year after the start of the war, talks between the two countries faltered, while the US administration said on Thursday that there are no negotiations currently underway.
But Iran and the Sultanate of Oman are continuing their discussions on a proposed arrangement to restore maritime traffic through the strait.
Regional countries, including Qatar, support these talks, while Iranian officials have repeatedly linked the future of navigation through the Strait to broader discussions with Washington and security developments in the region.
Sunday's strike was the first US attack on Iran since July 29, when the United States completed a "heavy wave of strikes" in response to an attempted attack on US military sites the day before.
In recent weeks, Trump has focused on increasing economic pressure on Iran rather than military moves, and last week he said that US financial strength would push the country "towards a very big victory."
The US Treasury Department threatened to impose harsh new sanctions on countries that refuse to sever their economic relations with Iran, and described this campaign as an “economic landing day.”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Besent told Reuters on Sunday that the department is likely to announce new secondary economic sanctions on Iran every week, initially focusing on banks.
“You will see more of these sanctions every week,” Besant said, ahead of a meeting of G20 finance ministers and senior financial officials. “We will start with the banks, telling them that it is not acceptable to hold Iranian money or help the regime.”
