Iran launched ballistic missiles at U.S. military targets in Jordan and drones at a base in the United Arab Emirates on Monday. The retaliatory strikes followed the first American military attacks on Iranian territory in a month, targeting rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
The six-month-old conflict between Washington and Tehran dramatically escalated on Monday as Iranian forces struck outside their borders in response to American airstrikes in the Strait of Hormuz. The exchange shatters a month-long lull in military action that had seen the U.S. prioritize economic sanctions over direct strikes.
Larak Island Strikes
The Larak Island Strikes and the U.S. Rationale
Hostilities flared anew when the U.S. military struck rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. U.S. Central Command stated that the operation aimed to prevent Iran from deploying additional sea mines into the critical shipping lane, just days after announcing the completion of clearing explosives from the waterway.
US forces took limited, precise action against IRGC mine laying forces posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz,
the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) wrote on X. President Donald Trump acknowledged on Monday that further military strikes might prove necessary.
U.S. Military Air Bases in Jordan
Tehran Retaliates Against U.S. Bases in Jordan
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired ballistic missiles at two U.S. military air bases in Washington-allied Jordan, claiming the facilities were utilized to support the assault on Larak Island. Tehran’s foreign ministry labeled the counter-strike a legitimate act of defense against what it termed U.S.-Zionist aerial aggression.
Jordanian military authorities confirmed that their air defense systems intercepted eight incoming missiles, without stating their origin. While Jordan reported no direct impact within its bases, Iranian state media and military statements insisted the barrage inflicted heavy damage.
Al Minhad Air Base
The Emirati Denial Over Al Minhad Air Base
In a separate operation cited by Iranian state television, the Revolutionary Guards reported launching drone attacks against the United Arab Emirates’ Al Minhad Air Base, specifically targeting areas housing U.S. forces and helicopters.
The government in Abu Dhabi firmly disputed the claim. Media reports regarding a missile attack on Al Minhad Air Base are baseless,
the Emirati defence ministry said in a statement on X after announcing it had intercepted an Iranian drone over its waters.
Scott Bessent and Financial Sanctions
Treasury Pushes Ahead With Weekly Financial Sanctions
Even as kinetic military strikes resumed, the U.S. administration signaled that financial pressure remains a central pillar of its strategy against Tehran. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Washington intends to roll out secondary sanctions on a weekly basis, targeting foreign institutions with Iranian financial ties.
Speaking ahead of Group of 20 finance meetings, Bessent emphasized that initial enforcement focuses heavily on banking networks. 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, told Reuters in an interview on Sunday.
A Fragile Region Faces Renewed Uncertainty
Monday’s exchanges arrive as the conflict hit the six-month mark. Despite months of diplomatic mediation led by Qatar and Pakistan—which yielded an April ceasefire and a June memorandum of understanding toward a final peace accord—a permanent settlement remains out of reach.
With a U.S. naval counterblockade squeezing Iranian petrol supplies and domestic production facing shortfalls, the breakdown of the recent relative calm leaves the vital maritime corridor vulnerable to further escalation. Neither Washington nor Tehran has indicated a willingness to back down.
