President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated video on Truth Social depicting Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal in ruins, while Iranian officials dismissed the post as laughable and reported calm conditions. The exchange followed U.S. strikes on Larak Island rocket launchers and retaliatory missile fire targeting American bases in Jordan.
Hostilities between Washington and Tehran flared anew as the six-month-old war brought fresh military exchanges and sharply disrupted maritime commerce in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Strikes Larak Island as Iran Prepares Minelaying Operations
American forces launched limited strikes over the weekend against two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, marking the first publicly acknowledged U.S. military action against Iranian positions since late July according to Central Command. Military officials stated that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the vital shipping lane.
“Earlier today U.S. forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.”
Capt. Tim Hawkins, U.S. Central Command spokesperson, via CNBC
The Pentagon stated that the action targeted minelaying forces posing an imminent threat to international shipping. Last week, CENTCOM had completed clearing sea mines from the strait’s international shipping routes before the fresh round of hostilities as reported by CNBC.
Trump’s Truth Social Post and the Reality on Kharg Island
The situation escalated digitally when President Donald Trump shared a one-line post on Truth Social featuring dramatic footage of Iran’s primary oil export terminal.
Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!!
President Donald Trump, via CNBC
Reuters confirmed through software detecting AI-manipulated imagery that the accompanying video clip showing explosions was synthetically generated. Hours after the post, verified reporting showed no evidence that Kharg Island had actually been attacked according to Reuters coverage carried by WIKY.
Iranian officials pushed back swiftly against the digital threat. Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the government-run National Iranian Oil Co., dismissed the claims in a statement published on Nournews.
“Trump’s tweets are laughable and conditions in Kharg are calm and appropriate.”
Hamid Bovard, Chief Executive of National Iranian Oil Co., via WIKY
Bovard added that oil operations had not stopped and workers were busy repairing previous damage as noted on the security-linked outlet’s website. Kharg Island handled 90% of Iran’s oil exports before the war which began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28.
Retaliatory Missile Strikes and Regional Fallout
In response to the Larak Island operation, Iranian media reported that military forces launched ballistic missiles targeting two U.S. bases in Jordan used to support the strike according to the Iranian foreign ministry. Jordan’s armed forces successfully intercepted eight missiles entering national airspace state television confirmed, with reporting indicating nearly all incoming projectiles were intercepted with minimal impact.
Meanwhile, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz faced severe disruptions. A supertanker caught fire and halted after striking two naval mines in the southern shipping lanes state television reported. Visible commodity vessels transiting the vital waterway dropped to roughly five per day over the weekend based on shipping data, though actual traffic may be higher as vessels turn off automatic identification systems to evade attacks.
Treasury Escalates Secondary Sanctions on Financial Networks
Alongside military maneuvers, the Treasury Department stepped up economic pressure against Tehran. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that new secondary sanctions targeting financial institutions aiding the Iranian regime will likely be unveiled on a weekly basis in an interview with Reuters.
“We’re starting with the banks, and we’re telling the banks it’s not okay to have Iranian money and to aid the regime.”
Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary, via WIKY
Following penalties imposed on the United Arab Emirates branches of Egypt’s Banque Misr, Bessent warned that institutions facilitating Iranian funds could face complete severance from the dollar-based financial system ahead of G20 finance meetings. Ahead of further developments, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized that Tehran was not seeking war but would respond decisively to any aggression.
