US strikes Iranian rocket launchers along Strait of Hormuz, Iran fires missiles towards US bases

US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers along the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday marking Washingtons first confirmed military action against Iran in a month and ending a lull in fighting in a war that has continued intermittently for more than six months Iran quickly condemned the attack and vowed retaliationThe latest escalation came days after the Trump administration indicated that it intended to focus more heavily on economic pressure rather than military action in its effort to force an end to the conflictUS says Iranian forces were preparing rocket launchAccording to Tim Hawkins a spokesperson for US Central Command forces from Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps were observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the strategically important waterwayThe US military said last week that it had completed efforts to clear sea mines from international shipping routes through the Strait of HormuzSemiofficial Iranian news outlets reported explosions near Larak Island located in the strait In a statement carried by Iranian state broadcaster the Revolutionary Guard said the strikes had resulted in the martyrdom and injury of several of our fighters and compatriotsIran did not immediately provide further details about the number of casualties or the extent of the damage caused by the US operationIran reports missile response against US basesLater Iranian state television broadcast footage it said showed ballistic missiles being launched towards US bases in Jordan in retaliation for the American strikesJordans armed forces said they intercepted eight missiles that entered the countrys airspace early MondayA return to sustained open conflict could further destabilise the region Since the war began on February 28 Iran has targeted US military bases and infrastructure in several Gulf countriesThe previous US military action against Iran was confirmed on July 29 when Washington announced what it described as a heavy wave of strikes against dozens of Revolutionary Guard targets including coastal surveillance and defence sitesOn August 1 President Donald Trump said he would hold off on ordering further military strikes following appeals from Gulf allies Qatar Saudi Arabia and the United Arab EmiratesWashington had shifted focus towards economic pressureSundays attack came shortly after the Trump administration announced that it would focus on increasing economic pressure on Iran rather than relying primarily on military actionThe strategy involves threats of punitive measures against countries and entities that continue doing business with TehranA Revolutionary Guard spokesperson Gen Hossein Mohebi described Sundays attack as a fatal mistake by the Trump regime during the economic war and said the enemy would face consequences both militarily and economicallyThe administrations increased reliance on sanctions has also come amid concerns about declining munitions stockpiles after months of military operations Officials have raised concerns that a prolonged conflict could affect US military readiness in other parts of the worldTrumps earlier suggestions that the conflict could be resolved quickly have also become less prominent Last week he said he was not in a hurry to bring Iran back to the negotiating table while continuing to argue that the countrys leadership was under increasing pressureIran however has signalled continued defiance Changes to the countrys senior security leadership over the past month have indicated that Tehran remains unwilling to ease its position despite decades of sanctions and extensive damage suffered during the conflictTrump has repeatedly said that the US and Israeli campaign has severely damaged Irans naval and air capabilities Iranian officials have estimated that the country has suffered USD 270 billion in direct and indirect losses while Israeli strikes during the early weeks of the war eliminated much of the governments leadership structureIran continues to use Strait of Hormuz as leverageDespite the damage to its military capabilities Iran has retained leverage through attacks and threats against vessels operating in the Strait of HormuzRelatively few ships carrying crude oil and liquefied natural gas are currently attempting to pass through the waterway through which about 20 per cent of the worlds oil normally flows Iran is believed to retain sufficient stocks of drones and missiles to continue targeting vessels transiting the straitOil prices rose following Sundays US attack The price of US crude increased 18 per cent to USD 8494 a barrel while Brent crude the international benchmark rose 19 per cent to USD 8979Tehran has also maintained that even after reaching a management arrangement for the strait with neighbouring Oman the US cannot use the waterway until it fulfils its obligations under a memorandum of understanding signed by the countries in midJuneShipping traffic remains sharply reducedTrump has repeatedly declared that the Strait of Hormuz is open saying that 24 vessels passed through the waterway last week However that figure remains far below the roughly 130 vessels that transited the strait daily before the war beganEarlier on Sunday a multinational coalition overseen by the US Navy said commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained at reduced levelsSeparately a monitoring agency run by the British military said an unidentified projectile struck a tanker north of Khasab Oman on Saturday The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization said there were no reported casualties or environmental damage and cited unspecified military authorities No group immediately claimed responsibility for the incidentThe US military said that as of Sunday it had redirected 83 commercial vessels and disabled three others as part of its blockade of Iranian portsWith inputs from Associated Press