The United States has struck Larak Island in southern Iran in the first attack against the country since late July, a US official has confirmed to Al Jazeera.

Tehran vowed to retaliate for Sunday’s attack. The strikes risk renewing the military confrontation  as the US shifts from the bombing campaign to a financial pressure strategy as the US-Israel war on Iran enters its seventh month

The US official said the strikes targeted launchers that were set to fire rockets carrying mines towards the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Fars News Agency had reported that explosions were heard near the island. Later on Sunday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the attack by the “American-Zionist enemy”, saying that it resulted in the killing and injuring of several soldiers.

“This act will be responded to by the sons of Islamic Iran and will result in punishment of the aggressor,” the IRGC said in a statement.

In a statement shared by the news agency, IRGC spokesperson Sardar Mohebi accused the US of making “a strategic and fatal mistake”, for which it will pay consequences “in both the economic and military arenas”.

In recent weeks, the US has been claiming control over the strategic waterway, saying that it is managing to get millions of barrels of oil through the strait under its military protection even as Iran blockades the waterway.

Still, attacks on ships in Hormuz have been reported almost daily, and Iran has maintained that the strait is closed.

Sunday’s strikes show that the US is still willing to use military force despite the focus on sanctions to pressure Iran to make concessions over its nuclear programme and claims of control over Hormuz

(Aljazeera)