US, Iran Exchange Strikes As Hormuz Tensions Intensify
US Central Command said that American forces carried out a“limited, precise” operation against Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces preparing to lay sea mines in the strategic waterway.
CENTCOM said that US forces targeted two Iranian launch platforms on Lark Island after detecting preparations to fire missiles carrying naval mines towards the strait.
The command said the operation was aimed at protecting civilian sailors and commercial shipping. It rejected Iran's description of the strikes as an act of aggression.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the US strikes caused casualties. Iranian state television later reported that a large oil tanker caught fire and stopped after hitting two sea mines in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran responded with attacks on US targets across the region. The Revolutionary Guards said they struck two US military bases in Jordan with ballistic missiles and caused“heavy damage”.
Iran also said it targeted US personnel at a military base in the United Arab Emirates and shot down a US drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
The exchange marked the first US strikes on Iranian territory in about a month. It came as Washington has increasingly relied on economic pressure against Tehran.
The escalation also renewed concerns over global energy supplies. Hormuz carried about one-fifth of the world's oil supplies before the war began.
CENTCOM said last week that US forces had completed clearing sea mines from international shipping routes in the strait. The latest operation showed that Washington remains focused on preventing Iran from regaining the ability to disrupt navigation.
President Donald Trump said Iran would not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. He also said the United States would have near-total control of Hormuz once the war is won.
Political analyst Amer Sabaileh said the operation showed that Washington was seeking to remove Iran's ability to threaten shipping through the strait.
“Clearly, the United States has completed clearing the Strait of Hormuz of mines and now wants to eliminate Iran's ability to lay mines or disrupt the strait,” Sabaileh said.
“Lark Island is effectively the Revolutionary Guard's logistical and operational hub for activities linked to Hormuz.”
He said that the strike also demonstrated growing US intelligence superiority.
“America is now imposing not only a military blockade, but also intelligence dominance, meaning Iranian movements have become exposed and pre-emptive US operations remain possible and ongoing,” Sabaileh said.
“The renewed exchange underscores the fragility of the conflict's diplomatic track. With Hormuz again at the centre of military pressure, further strikes could deepen the regional crisis and increase pressure on global energy market.”
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