Naval mine

U.S. Central Command said American forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island that were preparing to fire naval mines into the Strait of Hormuz, the first acknowledged U.S. strike on Iranian targets since a broader campaign on July 29. Officials described the action as limited and possibly preemptive, based on intelligence that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps was readying a mining operation shortly after U.S. forces had cleared mines Iran previously planted in the strait.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards retaliated with missile attacks on U.S. forces in Jordan; U.S. and Jordanian officials say most missiles were intercepted with no significant damage or American casualties. Iranian state media claimed casualties from the initial strike, unconfirmed independently. President Trump posted an AI-generated video depicting destruction of Iran's Kharg Island while reaffirming commitment to blocking Iranian nuclear weapons. The escalation comes amid tightening U.S. sanctions and Iranian acknowledgment of severe economic strain, raising stakes for markets tracking Middle East conflict escalation and oil shipping security.