It was back to shootin’ in the Gulf late Sunday and early Monday, when the US and Iran traded fire for the first time in weeks, underscoring the extent to which this “frozen” conflict can still heat up at the drop of a hat. Or at the attempted laying of a mine.
“US forces took limited, precise action against IRGC minelaying forces posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz,” Centcom said, accusing Iran of mischaracterizing American strikes on Larak Island, where the Guards were caught prepping rockets armed with mines for deployment in the waterway.
Iran called the strikes an act of aggression and promised to dole out a commensurate dose of “punishment.” Hours later, the IRGC launched missiles at bases in Jordan, where the US has warplanes.
All eight of the Iranian projectiles were intercepted. There were no injuries, according to Jordanian authorities. Nor was there any evident damage to American military assets, despite Iran’s description of the attack as a “crushing blow.”
Later, Tehran said a tanker attempting to transit the Strait near Bandar Abbas ran over a mine. The Iranians also said they boatnapped a bulk carrier in the same general vicinity for — and try not to laugh — violating anti-pollution laws.
Also on Monday, the UAE said its air force intercepted an incoming Iranian drone when it crossed into Emirati territorial waters. The defense ministry in Abu Dhabi called the incident “a dangerous escalation,” a “blatant violation of the UAE’s sovereignty” and a “direct threat to the safety of its citizens and residents.”
Earlier this month, the UAE severed all financial and economic ties with Iran in an apparent effort to give Scott Bessent’s new sanctions push more teeth. The UAE was a critical source of hard currency for the regime in Tehran. Bessent’s meeting with G20 finance ministers in North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday. The gathering will focus on “an American growth agenda for the rest of the world,” but you can be sure Iran will come up.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan’s hosting the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek. Vladimir Putin’s there. So’s Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping and, from Iran, Abbas Araghchi and Masoud Pezeshkian, who said that although he’d still prefer a negotiated settlement to the conflict, Iran “will respond decisively to aggressors.”
For his part, Donald Trump posted an AI video on TruthSocial depicting Kharg Island “being blown to smithereens.” About a minute later, he posted a three-second video of himself hitting a drive. There was no apparent connection between the posts.
