Above photo: Iran’s Shahed drone. AFP via Getty Images.
The US attacks broke weeks of relative calm.
But coincided with Washington’s new, illegal economic warfare campaign against Tehran.
Iran carried out a series of retaliatory strikes across the region early on 31 August in response to a new wave of US airstrikes against the Islamic Republic, marking the first exchange of fire between Tehran and Washington in weeks.
Summary of the overnight Iran-US confrontation:
▪️US forces hit two launchers on Iran’s Larak Island on Sunday.
▪️A supertanker was reportedly struck by two naval mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz, catching fire and coming to a complete stop.
▪️Iranian air defenses… pic.twitter.com/hRylzEdXWW
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) August 31, 2026
The Iranian army said in a statement that it targeted a US base in the UAE after Washington’s deadly strikes hit Larak Island.
“Early Monday morning, in response to the recent aggression by the [US] enemy, and in retaliation for the martyrdom of the brave personnel of the IRGC and innocent Iranian compatriots on Larak Island, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army targeted the locations of the helicopters and forces of the child-killing US military at the Al-Minhad Base in the UAE.”
The Iranian military added that it used “dozens of attack drones.” Emirati authorities announced on Monday that air defenses “responded” to one Iranian drone over UAE waters.
The UAE Defense Ministry denied, however, that Iranian forces struck Al-Minhad Base.
In its own statement, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it hit Washington’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, referred to as Al-Azraq, and the King Hussein Base in Jordan.
“The zealous fighters of the IRGC Aerospace Force, in response to the US-Zionist enemy’s aerial aggression on Lark Island, launched a combined missile and drone operation … to destroy technical and maintenance infrastructure and enemy fighter jet bases at the two American air bases, King Hussein and Al-Azraq, in Jordan, causing significant damage.”
Washington claimed its illegal attacks were aimed at thwarting an Iranian “threat” in the Strait of Hormuz, which is shut to the US and its allies by Tehran’s forces.
“US forces took limited, precise action against IRGC minelaying forces posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday, hours after its latest wave of attacks on Larak Island.
An early morning IRGC statement released on Monday said a super tanker violated Iranian regulations in the Strait of Hormuz and ended up hitting naval mines.
“Several hours ago, a violating super tanker that intended to pass through the illegal route south of the Strait of Hormuz caught fire in massive blazes after hitting two sea mines, and came to a complete stop,” the IRGC said.
The “fate” of all vessels that ignore Tehran’s warnings in the critical waterway “will be no different.”
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump posted AI-generated videos depicting US forces blowing up Iranian energy infrastructure.
US President Donald Trump shared on social media two artificial intelligence (AI)-generated videos depicting missiles striking Iran’s Kharg Island while proclaiming: “Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!! President DJT” pic.twitter.com/A0aoFpduLL
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) August 31, 2026
The US recently declared the start of a large-scale sanctions and economic strangulation campaign against the Islamic Republic.
No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a Deal than me. TRAGICALLY, for them, they have failed to take it. Therefore, today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY! This will be Economic Warfare and… pic.twitter.com/1CsO5S1KOy
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) August 19, 2026
Iran has warned that Washington’s new policy – which Treasury chief Scott Bessent said would include the “toughest” sanctions Tehran has ever faced – will backfire.
The new US attacks on Iran come less than two weeks after Bessent said that Washington will likely “not restart” large-scale military operations against the Islamic Republic.
