U.S. forces conducted an airstrike on Sunday targeting two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, which were reportedly being used to deploy sea mines into the nearby Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command. The operation marks the first acknowledged American strike against Iran in nearly a month and appears limited in scope, rather than signaling a broader resumption of large-scale military action.

Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins stated that personnel from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps were observed preparing to launch rockets armed with mines into the vital shipping lane. The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic maritime corridor through which a substantial portion of the world’s oil and gas supply passes. In the week prior to the strike, U.S. forces had cleared multiple mines planted by Iran in the strait, according to Adm. Brad Cooper, head of Central Command.

Iranian officials condemned the U.S. attack, with the Revolutionary Guards warning of a retaliatory response. Iran’s state broadcaster cited a statement promising "punishment on the aggressor," while the Tasnim news agency reported that two individuals were killed in the strike, a figure not independently verified. The Pentagon did not immediately comment on these reports.

The strike occurred against the backdrop of ongoing tensions surrounding navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The Trump administration has encouraged commercial vessels to continue transiting the area, with U.S. Navy guidance provided through the southern sector near Omani waters. Military officials have emphasized that U.S. naval vessels, Air Force jets, and Army helicopters remain on alert to counter threats against commercial shipping.

Despite these measures, passage through the strait remains hazardous. At least two seafarers have been killed in incidents over the past two weeks, with another reported missing. Since the onset of hostilities, there have been over 70 attacks on ships in the region resulting in 19 casualties.

Earlier this year in June, a brief accord was reached between Iran and the United States to reopen the strait, which saw a significant uptick in daily vessel traffic. However, the deal collapsed, leading to the U.S. reinstating a blockade of Iranian ports. In response, Iran introduced a fee for ships passing through the strait, a route traditionally free of such charges.

These developments have led many shipping companies to seek alternative routes, including increased crude exports from Saudi Arabia via the Red Sea. Sunday’s strike is the first Pentagon-confirmed attack since late July, when U.S. forces targeted multiple sites within Iran, including command centers and missile facilities.

Since then, military operations have largely been scaled back, with the U.S. administration shifting focus toward intensified economic sanctions designed to pressure the Iranian government.