US Forces Strike Iranian Rocket Launchers on Lark Island

DUBAI, Aug 30: US forces have struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Lark Island near the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports citing a US official, as Washington continues efforts to secure international shipping routes through the strategic waterway.

Al Jazeera reported that the US strikes targeted launchers belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Axios separately reported that two Iranian launchers were hit after IRGC personnel were observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines toward the Strait of Hormuz. The reports have not been accompanied by an immediate public confirmation from the US military.

The reported strikes came as US forces said they had completed mine-clearing operations along international shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military has been conducting mine-clearance operations for months, using Navy divers, special operations forces and air assets to remove threats from established international shipping lanes. US Central Command said the operation was aimed at restoring a safe passage for commercial shipping.

According to the US official cited by Axios, IRGC forces were preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines toward the waterway. The reported targeting of the launchers underscores continuing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, where Washington has sought to maintain the flow of commercial and energy shipments amid the wider conflict with Iran.

The United States has said its forces are closely monitoring the region and remain prepared to protect the free flow of trade through the strait. Earlier this week, US officials said the main international shipping lanes had been cleared of mines, although maritime traffic remains below normal levels.

The reported strike also followed an incident on Sunday in which an explosion was heard near Lark Island, according to Iran’s Fars news agency. The cause of that explosion was not immediately established, although Reuters noted that it occurred after reports of the US strikes on the Iranian launchers.