US strikes Iranian launchers on Larak Island in first known attack in weeks

What the report says

US forces have struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island, according to the BBC’s reporting, in what appears to be the first known American attack in Iran since late July. A US official said the launchers were being prepared for use in the Strait of Hormuz, where the island sits near the key port of Bandar Abbas. The strike was reported on Sunday.

Iran said the attack killed and wounded several people, while Iranian state-linked reports gave a lower figure of two dead and two injured. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps described the strike as a serious mistake and warned of retaliation. BBC-reported details also said US Central Command said the launchers were linked to preparations to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the waterway.

The incident matters because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important shipping routes, and tension around it has affected global energy transport before. BBC reporting said the US had recently said it cleared mines from the main shipping lane, while Iran has continued to accuse Washington of economic pressure and military escalation. More broadly, the strike comes amid renewed sanctions on Iran and follows months of regional conflict that have repeatedly raised concerns about disruptions to maritime traffic.