War on Iran: US bombs Iran

Missiles are flying over the Gulf once again as the U.S. and Iran trade strikes for the first time in a month. U.S. forces bomb Larak Island and Iran retaliates by launching attacks towards Jordan and the UAE. Here's what you need to know. The U.S. and Iran have traded fire for the first time since July. On Sunday night, the U.S. struck Larak Island, an island in the Strait of Hormuz off Iran's southern coast. Only a week ago, the U.S. signalled it was shifting to a campaign of economic warfare, with new sanctions to sever Iran's revenue streams. So what happened? CENTCOM says it believes Iran was preparing to deploy naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, which would have jeopardised the U.S. president's pledge last week that Hormuz was safe. And we've totally cleared the Strait of Hormuz. So the U.S. says it took out two IRGC rocket launchers. And shortly after, Trump posted this AI video threatening another Iranian island, Kargh. It simulates the island's oil facilities being blown to smithereens, as Trump put it. Iran has denied that any attacks took place on Kargh. The CEO of the national Iranian oil company was quoted as calling Trump's pose laughable. Officials say operations have not stopped at the critical hub for roughly 90% of its oil exports. The IRGC says the strike on Larak killed and injured a number of soldiers and civilians, and warned that the U.S. would be punished. In response, Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting two airbases in Jordan, King Hussein and Mawafak Salti, which host as many as 4,000 U.S. military personnel. Iran's foreign ministry claims those bases were used to launch U.S. attacks on the island. Jordan says it intercepted eight missiles in its airspace. No injuries were reported. Iran says it also targeted U.S. military assets in the UAE. On Monday morning, Iran's army said it launched an attack on the The UAE says it shot down a drone over its territorial waters, but denies that any missiles targeted the base. So is the region returning to another phase of all-out war? Well, the U.S. described its strikes as a limited, precise action, saying Iran's mine-laying preparations posed an imminent threat. And despite Trump saying Hormuz was mine-free, the IRGC claimed that an oil tanker caught fire on Monday after hitting two sea mines while attempting to take what Iran said was an illegal route through the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts say Iran is still trying to force ships to use its preferred route through the waterway. They want ships to basically pass along the Iranian coastline, particularly next to islands like Larek Island, in order for on a long-term basis. So the use of the mining, the fact that they're now trying to mine the Strait again, that seems to go against Trump's recent claim that the Strait of Hormuz is now free of mines. So Iran seems to be trying to basically enforce its hold over the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, U.S. media reports that several top U.S. military officials have advised Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth against continued operations against Iran, calling them unsustainable and risks the U.S.'s ability to confront threats elsewhere. Tehran, for its part, remains defiant, stressing Iran is prepared for a long conflict. That's it from me today. Stay with Al Jazeera for all the latest updates.