Iran retaliates after U.S. strikes on Larak

Iranian authorities released footage showing missile and drone launches as part of what they said was an operation against two U.S. air bases in Jordan. The video appeared after U.S. forces struck two launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first known American strikes on Iran since late July. Iranian media said the attack was carried out in retaliation, deepening a conflict that has already rattled oil markets and raised fears of wider escalation.

The U.S. military rejected Iran’s claim that its strike on Larak was an act of aggression, calling that accusation false and saying the operation was limited and defensive. U.S. Central Command said its forces acted against IRGC minelaying units that were posing an immediate threat in the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. official said the Iranian forces had been preparing rockets with sea mines for launch into the waterway.

Iranian state media said the strikes on Larak killed and wounded several Iranian fighters and civilians. In response, the Revolutionary Guards said their Aerospace Force launched a combined missile and drone attack, codenamed “Punishment of the Aggressor,” against the King Hussein and Al-Azraq bases. The IRGC said the operation hit technical and repair infrastructure and fighter deployment sites, causing significant damage to U.S. military assets.

The Guards described the attack as a lawful response to what they called an assault on Iranian territory and warned that any further attack would be met with an even stronger reply.

The exchange adds another layer of danger to the standoff between Tehran and Washington, with both sides trading strikes and accusations while diplomatic contact remains suspended. Iranian officials said talks will not resume unless the United States stops military attacks and hostile rhetoric.