The familiar drumbeat of conflict echoed across the Persian Gulf again on Sunday as the United States and Iran traded military blows, reigniting fears of a wider war after weeks of relative calm. President Donald Trump, speaking briefly to reporters, did not mince words, promising a strong retaliation. "We're going to hit them hard," he declared, adding, "There will be a response."
The exchange began when US forces struck rocket launchers on Larak Island, a strategic Iranian territory in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington stated the objective was to prevent Tehran from planting mines in the vital shipping lane. Iran, however, wasted no time in retaliating. State media reported that the US attack on Larak killed three people and wounded several others.
Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards announced that they launched ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting US military assets in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, claiming they hit US forces. However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking at a summit in Kyrgyzstan on Monday, called for a different path. "We continue to strive for a path of agreement and understanding, and we believe that continuing the war is neither in our interest, nor in the interest of the region," he said, emphasizing that "the solution to the existing problems is dialogue and cooperation."
US officials, including President Trump, maintained that their forces intercepted most of the Iranian missiles. Jordan’s army confirmed intercepting eight missiles, though they did not specify their origin. The UAE reported intercepting a drone over its waters and dismissed claims that the Al Minhad Air Base was targeted as "baseless." The Revolutionary Guards, however, also claimed to have shot down a second US drone over the Strait of Hormuz on Monday evening.
Adding to the tension, a tanker leaving the Strait of Hormuz reported being hit by three "unknown projectiles" just off the coast of Oman late Monday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency. The US military dismissed a claim by the Revolutionary Guards that a "rogue" oil tanker had caught fire near the strait after hitting mines, calling it "disinformation."
This flare-up comes after the Trump administration had intensified its focus on what it termed "economic warfare" against Iran. Earlier on Monday, President Trump had labelled Iran a "Failed Nation" on social media, asserting that its military was decimated and its economy crumbling. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, attending a G20 meeting in North Carolina, echoed this sentiment, vowing to maintain economic pressure. "We are going to continue exerting pressure, and we’ve had very good discussions here already," Bessent told reporters, suggesting a turning point in this campaign could arrive "within weeks or months."
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical flashpoint. Before the current conflict began six months ago, roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply passed through this narrow waterway. Although traffic has been significantly reduced, President Trump has asserted that the US Navy has "total control" over the strait, even announcing last week that explosive devices had been cleared from the waterway. Iran, conversely, insists it controls the vital sea lane.
Mediators have been working for months to broker an end to the hostilities, but previous attempts at a truce and a memorandum of understanding have failed. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Monday that the path to resolution is "completely clear and straightforward: the United States must return to its commitments." He added that if that happened, "everything can be put back on the right track."