US strikes new targets in Iran for the first time in weeks

The United States has attacked targets in Iran for the first time in weeks, striking two rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz.

US Central Command said the launchers were apparently intended for use by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in deploying new sea mines in the strategic waterway. The Revolutionary Guard said the attacks killed fighters and civilians, but gave no precise figures. It also threatened retaliation.

The strikes marked the first US attacks on Iran since July. President Donald Trump had repeatedly warned against the deployment of new mines in the Strait of Hormuz, most recently threatening to destroy ships and boats involved. He has described the policy as one of “zero tolerance.”

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zero tolerance

Trump has also said that all mines had been removed from the strait or destroyed, and that the waterway was fully open. Yet shipping traffic remained well below prewar levels nearly a month and a half after that claim.

The latest attack follows several changes in Washington’s approach. Trump suspended US attacks at the end of July to give negotiations another chance, then canceled further planned strikes in early August after Iran and other countries in the region asked him not to proceed. With no recent diplomatic progress, the US government said it would focus on economic pressure and announced sanctions against certain people and companies. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently described the policy as “economic strangulation” of Iran.

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economic strangulation