U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday that Washington would respond forcefully after Iran launched missiles toward two U.S. air bases in Jordan.
The Iranian missile launches followed a U.S. strike on Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’re going to hit them hard,” Trump was quoted as telling Fox News, adding that there would be a U.S. response.
Iran Calls Latest Fighting a Limited Confrontation
A senior Iranian source told Reuters that the latest exchange of fire between the United States and Iran was a “limited and contained confrontation.”
The fighting marked the first direct hostilities between the two countries since late July.
However, the Iranian source warned that Tehran could respond much more aggressively if it comes under another attack.
Trump, meanwhile, said U.S. air defense systems intercepted all Iranian missiles that had the potential to cause damage.
U.S. Increases Economic Pressure on Iran
The renewed military confrontation comes as Washington steps up economic pressure on Tehran.
The United States has recently expanded its use of secondary sanctions against Iran and companies or institutions that continue doing business with the country.
Diplomatic efforts have remained stalled six months into a broader conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argued that Iran’s latest military actions reflected growing pressure on its economy.
Speaking during a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in North Carolina, Bessent said Iran was suffering from the impact of tougher sanctions.
He suggested that Tehran was becoming more aggressive militarily because its economic position was deteriorating.
Bessent also told Reuters that additional secondary sanctions could be announced on a weekly basis, initially targeting banks.
U.S. Strikes Iranian Forces on Larak Island
The latest escalation began after U.S. forces attacked two Iranian launchers on Larak Island on Sunday.
A U.S. official said Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces had been preparing to launch rockets and deploy sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian media reported that three people were killed in the strike. Two were later identified as members of the Revolutionary Guards Navy.
Larak Island sits close to the strategic Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and directly beside one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.
Strait of Hormuz Remains Central to the Conflict
The Strait of Hormuz normally carries around one-fifth of global crude oil shipments.
However, shipping through the waterway has been heavily disrupted since the war began.
U.S. Central Command described the operation on Larak Island as a limited and precise strike against Iranian forces involved in minelaying.
According to the U.S. military, those forces represented an imminent threat to maritime traffic in the strait.
Iran Targets U.S. Bases in Response
Iran responded by launching missiles toward U.S. military facilities in Jordan.
Iran’s military also claimed to have attacked Al Minhad air base in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE Ministry of Defence rejected that claim as false.
However, UAE officials later said the country’s air force had intercepted a drone originating from Iran over Emirati territorial waters.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also claimed that a supertanker caught fire and stopped moving after being hit by two naval mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. military disputed that account.
Iran Warns Over Shipping Through the Strait of Hormuz
The senior Iranian source told Reuters that conditions could become increasingly difficult for ships that fail to follow Tehran’s rules for passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The source also warned that Iran considered no potential target beyond its reach.
Despite those comments, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian adopted a more diplomatic tone.
During talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a regional security meeting in Kyrgyzstan, Pezeshkian said Iran still wanted a negotiated solution to the conflict.
He argued that continuing the war would not benefit Iran, the wider region, or the international community.
Trump Posts AI-Generated Video of Kharg Island
Tensions increased further after Trump posted an AI-generated video on Truth Social that appeared to show explosions on Iran’s Kharg Island.
Trump claimed the major Iranian oil hub had been destroyed. However, there was no evidence that such an attack had taken place.
A U.S. official later said American forces had not targeted Kharg Island during the overnight military operations.
An Iranian official dismissed Trump’s post, while Reuters analysis indicated that the footage was most likely synthetically generated.
Kharg Island Remains Critical to Iran’s Oil Industry
Kharg Island played a major role in Iran’s oil exports before the current war.
Before fighting began on February 28, the island reportedly handled around 90% of the country’s crude oil exports.
Any major attack on the facility could therefore severely disrupt Iranian energy exports and place additional pressure on the country’s economy.
The continuing confrontation also presents a major risk for global oil markets because of the importance of both Kharg Island and the Strait of Hormuz to international energy supplies.
Trump has continued to push for broader U.S. objectives in the conflict, including weakening Iran’s nuclear capabilities and limiting Tehran’s ability to launch attacks across the region.
