US hits Iranian launchers on Larak island, Strait of Hormuz

US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, marking the first direct engagement in a month of the ongoing conflict.

An unnamed US official said members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were observed preparing to fire rockets equipped with sea mines into the busy waterway. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the move was intended to stop the IRGC from threatening commercial traffic.

The Iranian state broadcaster quoted the IRGC as reporting “the martyrdom and injury of several of our fighters and compatriots”. It added that the attack would “result in punishment of the aggressor”.

“the martyrdom and injury of several of our fighters and compatriots.”

Impact on shipping and regional tension

Earlier in the week the US Navy announced it had cleared sea mines from the strait’s international lanes, but traffic remains well below pre‑war levels. A British‑run monitoring agency said an unknown projectile hit a tanker north of Khasab, Oman, though no casualties were reported.

The UK Maritime Trade Organisation confirmed commercial vessels are still moving at “reduced levels”. Around 24 ships passed through last week, a fraction of the typical 130‑plus daily transits before the conflict began.

What comes next for US‑Iran confrontations

The Trump administration has signalled a shift from direct military action to heightened economic pressure, threatening sanctions on any entity that does business with Tehran. At the same time, US officials are monitoring munitions stockpiles, wary that a prolonged fight could strain readiness elsewhere.

Iran, meanwhile, continues to claim it can still deploy drones and missiles against vessels in the strait, and has hinted at a joint management plan with Oman that would limit US access until a mid‑June memorandum of understanding is fulfilled.

Analysts expect both sides to test each other’s resolve in the weeks ahead, with the risk that any misstep could further disrupt a waterway vital to global energy supplies.