(Image from AFP PHOTO / SATELLITE IMAGE ©2020 MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES)
The U.S. military has launched a fresh attack on Iranian territory, claiming to have struck Iranian rocket launch pads that were reportedly preparing to deploy naval mines into the Strait of Hormuz again, while Tehran has confirmed it will respond.
On 30 Aug 2026, U.S. officials reported that the U.S. military struck two Iranian rocket launch bases on Larak Island, marking the first publicly acknowledged U.S. attack on Iranian territory since late July.
CBS News cited Lt. Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), saying, "Officials found the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) preparing to launch rockets equipped with naval mines into the Strait of Hormuz."
Hossein Mohebbi, IRGC spokesperson, called the attack a "strategic mistake and a life-threatening error of the Trump regime," adding, "The enemy must pay for this miscalculation both economically and militarily."
Iran's Tasnim news agency earlier reported that the drone strike resulted in two deaths and two injuries.
This incident marks the first confirmed U.S. attack on Iranian territory since President Donald Trump temporarily suspended military operations in late July, while the U.S. stated it had cleared all naval mines from key shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month.
Trump stated that all mines placed by Iran in the Strait to block passage had been defused or removed, and warned that any vessel attempting to lay new mines would be immediately destroyed.
Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Qasem Garibabadi dismissed Trump's claims as "propaganda" and a deception.
Larak Island lies near the coast adjacent to the important port city of Bandar Abbas and is located in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international shipping route.
Currently, Iran is forcing oil tankers to pass by this island for inspection, with reports stating Tehran charges ships up to two million U.S. dollars for passage rights.
Iran faces renewed economic pressure after Washington announced new sanctions on 24 Aug, aiming to further isolate Tehran and extend secondary sanctions to Iran's allies.
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Source:bbc