Daniel Wolfram
President Trump also went to Truth Social to warn Iran of the total destruction of its country after the attacks.
The ongoing war and military conflict between the United States of America and Iran have been in the news non-stop for the past six months.
It may then come as a surprise to many that the two countries have not actually traded blows for a whole month.
That changed late last night when Iran was attacked for reportedly trying to lay down explosives in an important strait. Iran was quick to retaliate.
Flames on the water
Military actions resumed overnight as American forces clashed with Iranian troops near the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command reported launching strikes against two rocket sites on Larak Island, claiming Iranian forces were preparing to drop new sea mines into a shipping waterway that Trump claims the US has control over.
A spokesperson for Central Command, Capt. Tim Hawkins, stated that the military took “limited, precise action” against Iran’s “minelaying forces posing an imminent threat” in the region. CENTCOM later added that “Iran created the threat and the US military eliminated it to protect civilian mariners, commercial shipping, and the free flow of global commerce.”
Iranian state media reported explosions near the island, located off the coast of Bandar Abbas, noting casualties among Iranian personnel and civilians.
Iran countered swiftly. Iranian forces aimed eight missiles at bases used by the US military in Jordan, though air defense systems destroyed the projectiles mid-flight. Shortly after, the United Arab Emirates shot down an armed drone approaching its waters from Iran.
A month of warnings
The sudden exchange marks the first major military clash between the countries since late July.
It also comes after Washington claimed the waterway had been cleared of mines. President Donald Trump warned last week that “Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” while a US official noted that “US forces are monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through this essential waterway.”
Iranian leadership responded with a sharp warning. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday, “We are not seeking war… But in the face of aggression, we will never sit idly by, and we are capable of delivering a decisive response.” The Revolutionary Guards called the American attack “a strategic and deadly mistake” by Washington.
No end in sight
Capt. Tim Hawkins also confirmed to Time that the military action was taken after the US military gathered intel that the IRGC “were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines” into the strait.
Direct negotiations between both sides remain stuck, with the White House confirming there are no ongoing direct talks.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is stoking the fire on his own social media platform. In a post late last night, he posted an AI video of the United States attacking the important shipping hub Kharg Island.
“Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!! President DJT,” the president captioned the AI video in which an attack on ships and oil refineries on the island is observed from a helicopter.
