The United States and Iran have entered a new phase of their confrontation after US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers near the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks against US military bases in Jordan, marking the first direct escalation between the two sides in more than a month.

The latest exchange came as tensions over the strategic waterway remain high, with Iran and Oman continuing discussions aimed at restoring maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The US has warned that any attempt by Iran to lay new mines in the waterway would trigger an immediate military response.

US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island on Sunday after monitoring Iranian forces preparing to launch rockets carrying mines into the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins said.

The island lies close to the strategic waterway. Residents reported hearing an explosion on Larak, according to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

The US military said it was closely monitoring the area and remained prepared to protect freedom of navigation and the flow of commercial shipping through the waterway.

Iran retaliates

Iran responded early Monday local time, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying it had launched missile and drone attacks against two US air bases in Jordan.

A US official said Iranian missiles fired into Jordan had been intercepted and that there were no reported impacts.

Jordan's armed forces said its air-defence systems intercepted and destroyed eight missiles that entered Jordanian airspace. The projectiles were neutralised before they could threaten civilians or property, state-run Petra news agency reported.

Trump threatens Kharg Island

US President Donald Trump raised the stakes on Sunday with a stark warning involving Kharg Island, Iran's principal oil-export hub. "Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!! President DJT," Trump said in a social-media post, without providing further details.

Kharg Island is critical to Iran's energy trade. Before the war began with US and Israeli attacks on February 28, the island handled about 90% of Iran's oil exports.

Any sustained attack on Kharg would therefore represent a major escalation beyond the military confrontation around the Strait of Hormuz and could severely disrupt Iran's oil exports, depriving Tehran of a crucial source of foreign currency and placing further pressure on its economy.

More sanctions on Iran

Alongside the military pressure, the Trump administration is preparing to intensify its economic campaign against Tehran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters on Sunday that Washington was likely to announce new secondary sanctions against Iran on a weekly basis, initially targeting banks.

"We're starting with the banks, and we're telling the banks it's not okay to have Iranian money and to aid the regime," Bessent said.