U.S. Strikes Iran Twice in 24 Hours as Tankers Hit Mines in Strait of Hormuz

The latest round of violence began after U.S. forces targeted Iranian rocket launchers near the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes [231476]. President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes were a direct response to Iranian attempts to lay mines in the strait, which is a critical passage for global oil shipments [232773][232855].

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it responded by firing ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in Jordan, including Camp Titin, a U.S. Marine Corps base [231499][232920]. Iranian state television aired footage of the launches, marking Tehran’s first direct retaliation in weeks [231499].

The exchanges have raised fears of a wider regional conflict. U.S. forces struck two Iranian missile launchers after an explosion was heard near Larak Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz [231150]. The IRGC announced that the attack on Larak Island killed and injured several people, vowing that the “aggressor” will be punished [231147].

Iran also reported that two oil tankers—one Saudi and one South Korean—were hit by naval mines in the strait, a development that threatens global energy supplies and maritime traffic [233057][232553]. The use of mines in the waterway has reduced the chances of a quick deal to reopen the strait, with oil prices holding onto gains as traders price in a longer period of disruption [233147].

The U.S. military’s Central Command said Wednesday that its forces had completed a new wave of strikes against several Iranian targets, though no further details were provided [233039]. President Trump warned that a larger attack was “waiting in the wings,” signaling the possibility of further escalation [232703].

Neither side has released full casualty figures. Iran reported at least four people killed and dozens injured when a wedding party was hit in earlier strikes [232773]. The U.S. has not yet provided its own casualty numbers or detailed the exact targets of the operation [232773].

The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, and both Washington and Tehran appear unwilling to back down, leaving the situation highly volatile [232920].