US strikes Iranian launchers in Strait of Hormuz as Trump shares fake Kharg video

Strike on Larak Island and Iranian retaliation

On Sunday night, the United States military carried out strikes against two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was preparing the launchers to deploy naval mines across the shipping route. Centcom spokesperson Tim Hawkins described the operation as a targeted measure to protect commercial maritime transit. The Iranian news agency Tasnim reported two deaths and two injuries on the island resulting from the bombing. Iran responded early on Monday by launching ballistic missiles at two air bases in Jordan housing US personnel. Jordan's armed forces stated that air defense units intercepted eight incoming missiles with no civilian casualties reported.

Gulf drone attacks and regional shipping disruption

Hostilities spread across the Persian Gulf as Iranian forces directed dozens of attack drones toward Al Minhad air base in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE Ministry of Defense stated that it intercepted an Iranian drone in its territorial waters and reported no structural damage to its military facilities. Iranian units also fired upon several commercial cargo vessels attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz through Omani territorial waters. The Revolutionary Guards separately reported the downing of a US drone over the waterway and claimed a commercial tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine. These clashes disrupted ongoing mediation talks hosted by Pakistan and Qatar, which had reported positive progress the previous week.

This state of neither war nor peace is not a sustainable solution, just as attacking the Gulf countries and Jordan has proven to be a failure. We need realistic and sustainable political solutions that take into account the diplomatic and economic dimensions of this crisis.

The AI video depicting Kharg Island

Tensions heightened further when Donald Trump shared a synthetic video on Truth Social showing Kharg Island engulfed in flames. The video portrayed fuel storage tanks and an oil tanker exploding from an aerial viewpoint, alongside text claiming the island was reduced to rubble. Analysis by Reuters verified that the footage was generated using artificial intelligence tools rather than depicting real combat operations. The Pentagon clarified later on Monday that US forces did not target Kharg Island during the recent military actions. Hamid Bovard, director of the National Iranian Oil Company, dismissed the video as fabricated and stated that operations across the export terminal remained normal.

We do not seek war, but we will respond firmly to the aggressors.

Strategic significance of the export hub

Kharg Island handles approximately 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, making its infrastructure vital to the country's economy. The Strait of Hormuz carried approximately 20% of global oil shipments before the war began on 28 February 2026. Global crude prices rose by more than 3% during early trading on Monday following Trump's post. Washington had recently shifted its focus toward the Economic Pariah campaign to restrict Iranian commerce, following the completion of mine-clearing operations in the waterway. The renewed military exchanges end several weeks of relative calm and return the Strait of Hormuz to active conflict.