US strikes Iran for first time in a month, Tehran retaliates

On Sunday, the United States carried out its first strikes on Iran in a month, targeting Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island within the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks were announced following Iran's announcement that it had cleared explosives from the strategic waterway, which had been blocked for months. In retaliation, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked US military bases in Jordan, causing significant damage to technical infrastructure, maintenance facilities, and fighter jet positions.

The strikes occurred as the six-month-long Iran-US conflict hit a turbulent period, after a ceasefire was agreed upon in April, but sporadic attacks continued in the region. The US stated that its actions were aimed at preventing Iran from launching more sea mines into the strait, while Iran argued that the strikes were in response to an attempted surprise attack on its forces.

Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have so far been unsuccessful, and the US has resorted to economic warfare against Iran, including a naval counterblockade of Iranian ports. The strikes resulted in a temporary rise in oil prices, with Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate both surpassing the US$90 threshold.