U.S. forces have carried out a fresh strike against Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first known American military action against Iran in about a month, according to U.S. officials and reports from multiple outlets.

A U.S. official said American forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, located near the strategic waterway, after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.

The operation represents a significant escalation after a period of relative calm following the U.S. military’s previous campaign in the region. Axios reported that President Donald Trump had paused the U.S. military campaign in late July, making Sunday’s operation the first known U.S. strike inside Iran since then.

The U.S. military’s latest action comes days after American forces said they had completed clearing sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz’s main international shipping route.

The waterway is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime passages, carrying a major share of global oil and gas shipments. Washington has repeatedly warned Iran against attempting to disrupt commercial shipping or deploy additional mines.

According to the U.S. official cited by AP, IRGC forces were seen preparing to launch rockets equipped with sea mines into the strait when the American strike was carried out.

The official said U.S. forces would continue monitoring the area and remain prepared to protect the movement of commercial shipping.

Iranian semi-official media outlets reported explosions near Larak Island on Sunday.

Reuters reported that Iran’s Fars news agency said an explosion was heard near the island but initially reported that its cause was unknown. Reuters subsequently reported that the U.S. had struck two launchers on the island, citing a U.S. official.

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Iran’s Revolutionary Guards later acknowledged that the island had been attacked.

According to Reuters, the IRGC said the U.S. attack killed and wounded several Iranian fighters and civilians, although it did not provide a precise casualty figure. The Guards also vowed to retaliate against the United States.

The latest strike comes amid continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran over control of the Strait of Hormuz and the security of international shipping.

The U.S. has said its military operations are aimed at keeping the waterway open and preventing threats to commercial vessels. Iran, meanwhile, has repeatedly warned that it will respond to attacks on its territory.

The latest exchange therefore raises concerns that the fragile lull in direct U.S.-Iran military action could be ending.

For now, the full extent of the damage from Sunday’s strike and the exact number of casualties remain unclear.

U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to intensify economic pressure on Iran as efforts to end the conflict and resolve the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz remain uncertain.

Trump said Friday that he wanted to hit Iran hard economically, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that Washington would announce measures of unprecedented scale as early as next week. The administration has already imposed extensive sanctions and is maintaining a naval blockade aimed at restricting Iran’s trade and oil revenues.

What options does Trump have?

1. Tighten sanctions on Iranian oil

One of Washington’s most powerful tools is further targeting Iran’s oil industry, the country’s principal source of foreign currency. The US can sanction companies, banks, shipping firms and vessels involved in purchasing or transporting Iranian crude.

Washington could also intensify so-called secondary sanctions against foreign businesses and countries that continue buying Iranian oil. Such measures could make it more difficult for Tehran to sell its crude and collect payments.

2. Target Iran’s financial network

The administration can expand restrictions on Iranian banks and financial institutions, making it harder for Tehran to access international banking systems and move money overseas.

The US could also pursue companies and individuals accused of helping Iran circumvent existing sanctions.

3. Intensify the naval blockade

Washington has already threatened to maintain its naval blockade of Iran indefinitely. The blockade is designed to restrict the movement of goods through Iranian ports and put further pressure on the country’s economy.

Bessent said the next phase could combine greater economic isolation with continued restrictions on shipping in and out of Iranian ports.

But this option carries significant risks because the Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global energy route. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes through the waterway, meaning prolonged disruption could push energy prices higher worldwide.

4. Increase pressure on countries trading with Iran

Washington could also expand penalties against countries and companies that continue doing business with Tehran.

China is particularly important because it has been a major buyer of Iranian oil. Previous US sanctions have targeted businesses involved in Iran’s oil trade, including Chinese companies and vessels accused of facilitating shipments.

5. Use economic pressure alongside diplomacy

Trump could maintain sanctions and the blockade while keeping negotiations open. This would allow Washington to use Iran’s worsening economic conditions as leverage while avoiding an immediate return to a broader military offensive.

Trump has recently indicated that economic pressure is an important part of his strategy, while negotiations involving Iran and regional intermediaries remain uncertain.

The central question is whether economic pressure can force Tehran to make the concessions Washington wants.

Iran has lived under US sanctions for decades and has developed networks for circumventing restrictions. Analysts also warn that sanctions can take time to produce results, while a blockade can create immediate consequences for global energy markets.

The pressure campaign is already contributing to volatility in oil prices. Brent crude rose to about $88.52 a barrel on August 14 as fears over tanker attacks and the continuing blockade increased concerns about global supplies.

For Trump, the dilemma is therefore straightforward but difficult: increase the economic pain on Iran without triggering an even wider regional conflict or a new surge in energy prices.

With Washington promising measures that Bessent says will be unlike previous economic isolation campaigns, the coming weeks could determine whether Trump’s economic strategy brings Tehran back to the negotiating table, or deepens the confrontation.

The United States is temporarily leaving the western Pacific without an aircraft carrier after the USS George Washington was ordered to leave the region for the Middle East, where it is expected to replace the heavily deployed USS Abraham Lincoln.

The move comes as President Donald Trump’s administration continues to devote significant military resources to its ongoing conflict with Iran, placing additional pressure on the US Navy’s carrier fleet.

The George Washington is expected to relieve the Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed in the Middle East for an extended period supporting US military operations against Iran. The Lincoln’s deployment was extended beyond its originally planned return date as the conflict continued.

The redeployment means the western Pacific could temporarily have no US aircraft carrier, although American officials could deploy another carrier to the region in the coming months.

The development has raised concerns among some US allies in Asia, particularly as China continues to expand its military activities and assertiveness in the region. Analysts say Beijing could view the temporary absence of an American carrier as an opportunity to strengthen its influence and test US commitments to its Indo-Pacific partners.

Greg Poling of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said the administration had previously described the Pacific as a major strategic priority, but argued that the current deployment pattern was moving in the opposite direction.

The carrier rotation also highlights growing pressure on US naval forces. The Abraham Lincoln has spent months at sea, with reports raising concerns about crew fatigue, supply shortages and mental-health challenges. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has rejected claims that conditions aboard the ship have been seriously deteriorating, saying reports have been misrepresented.

The US has also maintained a naval blockade around Iranian ports as part of its broader pressure campaign against Tehran. Hegseth said the Navy could sustain the blockade indefinitely by rotating ships in and out of the region.

For Washington, the latest deployment reflects the difficult balance between maintaining its military presence in the Indo-Pacific and meeting the demands of the Iran conflict. For China and US allies across Asia, the temporary carrier gap could become an important test of America’s long-term strategic priorities.