US strikes Iran’s Lark Island in first attack in weeks

For context, the United States has struck Larak Island in southern Iran in the first attack against the country since late July, a US official has confirmed to Al Jazeera.

Key points

• On Saturday, Iranian Prime Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed reports that the US is managing to obtain substantial amounts of oil out of Hormuz.
• It are fuelling inflation in the US, could hurt the chances of Trump's Republican Party of maintaining control of Congress in the midterm elections in November.
• Iran's Fars News Agency had documented that explosions were heard near the island.
• But Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has cautioned that the US is still prepared to apply military force if needed.
• The US official remarked the strikes targeted launchers that were set to fire rockets carrying mines towards the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran vowed to retaliate for Sunday's attack. The strikes risk renewing the military confrontation as the US shifts from the bombing campaign to a financial pressure strategy as the conflict enters its seventh month.

For context, the US official remarked the strikes targeted launchers that were set to fire rockets carrying mines towards the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Fars News Agency had documented that explosions were heard near the island. Afterwards on Sunday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the attack by the "American-Zionist enemy", saying that it resulted in the killing and injuring of a number of soldiers.

"This act will be responded to by the sons of Islamic Iran and will result in punishment of the aggressor, " the IRGC remarked in an official note.

In recent weeks, the US has been claiming control over the strategic waterway, saying that it is managing to obtain millions of barrels of oil through the strait under its military protection even as Iran blockades the waterway.

Still, attacks on ships in Hormuz have been documented almost daily, and Iran has maintained that the strait is closed.

Sunday's strikes show that the US is still willing to employ military force despite the focus on sanctions to pressure Iran to produce concessions over its nuclear programme and claims of control over Hormuz.

Iran has previously responded to similar US attacks by launching missiles and drones at military bases hosting US troops in neighbouring countries.

Last week the administration of US President Donald Trump confirmed a push to isolate Iran financially by threatening secondary sanctions against countries and businesses that do business with Tehran.

US authorities have been touting what they describe as Iran's loss of control over Hormuz while arguing that the country is on the verge of economic collapse due to sanctions and the military blockade against its ports.

Tehran, nevertheless, has remained defiant, stressing that it is prepared for a long conflict.

"Our intelligence shows major efforts to game energy markets, " Araghchi wrote on X. "US Govt elements employ gullible media to influence costs for personal gain and keep mired in a losing war. Israel-aligned actors additionally promote war with rosy assessments. U.S. Consumers feel the real bottom line."

Despite the reports of the US ending – or at least easing – Iran's control of Hormuz, oil rates have remained high against the backdrop of supply uncertainty.

Meanwhile, the average cost of one gallon (3.8 litres) of petrol in the US is still more than $4, up from less than $3 when the US and Israel rolled out the war late in February.

Meanwhile, the skyrocketing energy rates. It are fuelling inflation in the US, could hurt the chances of Trump's Republican Party of maintaining control of Congress in the midterm elections in November.

For now, US strikes Iran's Lark Island in first attack in weeks remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.