Iran attacks Jordan, UAE after US bombs Larak Island: What’s the latest?

What the report says

Iran said it launched retaliatory strikes on US military targets in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates after the United States hit two Iranian launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera. The exchange, reported on 31 Aug. 2026, was described as the first active confrontation between the two sides since late July and comes amid wider regional tensions tied to the six-month-old war and pressure on global oil shipping routes.

Al Jazeera reported that Iranian officials framed the response as self-defence and said the strikes were meant to answer what Tehran called a violation of its sovereignty. Iranian media said missile and drone attacks were directed at US bases in Jordan and at the Al Menhad airbase in the UAE, while Jordan’s army said it intercepted eight missiles that entered its airspace. The UAE rejected Iran’s claim that its airbase was targeted and said its air force responded to a drone approaching from Iran over territorial waters.

The US military gave a different account, saying it carried out limited, precise action against Iranian minelaying forces it considered an imminent threat to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The reported back-and-forth matters because it raises the risk of further escalation in a critical maritime corridor and could complicate diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions. Al Jazeera said US officials have also signaled that more sanctions may follow as Washington increases economic pressure on Tehran.