US strikes Iranian launchers near Strait of Hormuz, Iran retaliates with missile attack

US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, marking their first military action in a month and breaking a lull in a conflict that has lasted over six months. The strike targeted Revolutionary Guard Corps units seen preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the strait, according to Tim Hawkins, a US military spokesperson. Iran responded by saying it had fired missiles at US sites in Jordan, vowing retaliation for what it called a deadly attack. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway for global oil shipments, and the use of sea mines there would pose a serious threat to commercial shipping. The exchange ends a period of relative quiet in the ongoing confrontation, which has now entered its seventh month.