U.S., Iran exchange strikes for first time since July as Trump threatens strategic oil hub — SkimNews
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- U.S. Central Command confirmed American forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday after the IRGC was observed preparing rockets with sea mines for launch into the Strait of Hormuz, the first publicly acknowledged U.S. strike on Iranian positions since late July.
- Iran's IRGC said it attacked two U.S. military bases in Jordan — King Hussein and Al Azraq — with a combined missile and drone operation on Monday in retaliation for the Larak Island strike, claiming it destroyed technical infrastructure and fighter deployment sites.
- Oil prices climbed above $90 a barrel on Monday, with international benchmark Brent crude (November expiry) up 2.7% to $90.48 and U.S. WTI (October delivery) up 2.7% to $85.62 amid renewed supply-risk fears.
- Trump on Monday extended military threats to Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export terminal, posting an AI-generated video on Truth Social depicting the hub being bombed and writing that it is "going to be blown to smithereens!"
- The IRGC said a supertanker caught fire and was left disabled in the southern Strait of Hormuz on Monday after striking two naval mines from a vessel not complying with Iran's passage rules, while the U.S. Navy maintains a blockade against Iranian ports.
- Iran's Foreign Ministry said the U.S. and its allies bear "full responsibility" for the escalation and vowed a decisive response to any further aggression.
- CENTCOM spokesperson Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins noted that U.S. forces last week completed clearing sea mines from the strait's international shipping routes and remain positioned to protect commercial traffic through the waterway.
Why it matters: The six-month war's first mutual strike exchange in over a month sent Brent crude above $90 — a 2.7% single-session jump that directly raises fuel costs for importers and consumers globally — while Trump's explicit threat against Kharg Island, which handles the bulk of Iran's crude exports, signals the conflict could now target Tehran's primary economic lifeline rather than military assets alone.
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