U.S. Strikes Iranian Rocket Launchers on Larak Island and Iran Fires Back at Bases in Jordan and the UAE

The U.S. military told NPR it struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Sunday that it said were preparing to fire sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's armed forces said the strikes on Larak Island killed military personnel and civilians, and Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles at U.S. forces and helicopters at an air base in the United Arab Emirates and at bases in Jordan, saying Jordanian facilities had supported the attack. Jordan said it shot down eight missiles that entered its airspace. The UAE denied that its al-Minhad Air Base was hit but said it intercepted drones launched from Iran.

The exchange was the first major fighting between the two sides in more than a month, breaking a lull held since the last U.S. strike on July 29, when Trump halted attacks after talks with Gulf leaders. It came days after tighter U.S. sanctions and as Washington presses Tehran to reopen the strait.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran would respond decisively to aggression but was not seeking war. CENTCOM's commander said last week that U.S. forces had finished clearing mines from the strait's shipping lanes; Iran said a supertanker struck two mines there over the weekend.