U.S. Central Command struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island Sunday after observing preparations to fire naval mines into the Strait of Hormuz. The launchers were reportedly configured to deploy sea mines using a converted Fajr-5 rocket variant, a capability Iran has claimed but rarely demonstrated.
CENTCOM spokesman Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins confirmed the strikes, stating Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were preparing to launch the rocket-deployed mines. Iran responded with ballistic missile attacks on a Jordanian air base housing U.S. troops, all of which were intercepted without casualties. CENTCOM also dismissed Iranian claims that a supertanker struck mines in the strait as disinformation.
The rocket-delivered mine system offers Iran a way to seed the strait’s narrow shipping lanes from standoff range, avoiding the risks of traditional mine-laying vessels. While the payload capacity of these mines is limited, their rapid deployment could still disrupt commercial traffic and force costly de-mining operations. U.S. forces continue monitoring the area to protect international shipping routes.
