US Resumes Airstrikes on Iran in Strait of Hormuz After Sea Mine Threat
Last update: August 31, 2026
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The ceasefire might be holding on paper, but in the Strait of Hormuz, things just got tense again.
So, here is what is happening.
The United States has confirmed it carried out fresh air strikes on Iran - the first since late July.
According to cbinews.tv, US forces targeted two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, a small island right in the middle of the Strait of Hormuz.
US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins told AFP that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were spotted preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait.
In a post on X, US Central Command said it was a "limited, precise action" against IRGC minelaying forces posing an imminent threat.
Washington says the move was to stop Iran from laying more mines, just days after the US announced it had finished clearing explosives from the vital shipping lane.
And this waterway matters. Before hostilities escalated on 28 February with strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, about one-fifth of the world's oil passed through it.
Captain Hawkins added: "Last week, CENTCOM completed clearing sea mines from the strait's international shipping routes. US forces are monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through this essential waterway."
It is a significant shift. In recent weeks, the administration of US President Donald Trump had prioritised economic warfare over military action.
The April ceasefire ended the most intense fighting, but these sporadic clashes around the Strait have made a final peace deal look increasingly fragile.
The last US strike before Sunday was on 29 July, in response to what the military described as an attempted surprise attack on US forces. Earlier that month, CENTCOM had struck Iran for 13 consecutive nights.
Iran, for its part, has continued to hit back at US facilities and allies across the Gulf, including targets in Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The continued closure and disruption of the Strait is being felt globally, with price hikes and shortages of fertiliser and energy. Both main crude oil contracts were up by at least two per cent on Monday.
Credit: cbinews.tv
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