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.

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.

Series of Israeli strikes on Southern Lebanon has left at least 11 people killed with several others injured, according to Lebanese authorities and state media, in the deadliest reported Israeli attack in the area since the latest ceasefire arrangements took effect.

The strikes hit areas around Ansar and Deir al-Zahrani in Nabatieh district early Saturday, with Lebanese officials saying seven people were killed in an attack on a house in Ansar and another four died in a separate strike on Deir al-Zahrani.

Among those killed in Ansar were reportedly three children and two women, according to Lebanese state media. Rescue teams searched the wreckage for victims and evacuated the dead and wounded from the affected areas.

The strikes triggered fresh concern over the fragile security situation in southern Lebanon, where tensions have remained high despite efforts to establish a lasting cessation of hostilities.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attacks and called for an immediate halt to the escalation, saying the safety of Lebanese civilians and their right to remain on their land should not be subject to negotiation. President Joseph Aoun also condemned what he described as repeated violations of the arrangements governing the conflict.

Israel’s military said its forces targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in the Nabatieh area and around Ansar. The Israeli government has continued to maintain that its military operations are aimed at preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding its military capabilities and threatening Israel.

The latest violence comes as Beirut and Tel Aviv pursue US-backed discussions concerning security arrangements in southern Lebanon. The deadly strikes have added further pressure to those diplomatic efforts.

The attacks have also drawn condemnation from Hezbollah, which accused Israel of targeting Lebanese civilians and warned that continued attacks would provoke a response.

The death toll could still change as rescue and assessment operations continue at the affected locations.