US and Iran trade missile strikes across Middle East

Photo — Tawseef Ahmad / Pexels

Multiple major outlets report that US forces carried out strikes on Iranian launchers on or near Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, saying they were attempting to deploy naval mines in a key global shipping lane. Iran has acknowledged casualties from the US action and responded with ballistic missile attacks on bases hosting US personnel in Jordan, while state-linked figures warn that more 'retaliation is coming' and claim to have targeted positions in Jordan and the UAE. This tit-for-tat follows weeks of heightened tension, previous Iranian threats, and ongoing US economic pressure including plans for new sanctions on an Iran-linked bank, all against a backdrop of volatile oil markets and concern among regional partners that the confrontation could escalate into a broader regional war affecting Gulf security, global trade routes, and energy prices. At the same time, US political rhetoric has intensified, with President Trump vowing a harsh response and sharing incendiary AI-generated imagery of strikes on Iranian infrastructure, further complicating diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis.

Sources: Reuters, BBC, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, AP, TRT World