US forces hit Iranian targets for the first time in a month, a bad sign for anyone hoping the six-month conflict was winding down.

• American strikes destroyed two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island after forces were seen preparing rockets and sea mines aimed at the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran's Revolutionary Guard says the attack killed and wounded fighters and civilians, and has promised to hit back.
• Iran's supreme leader is pushing Muslim countries to unite against the US, turning this into a fight over who wins allies in the region.
• A US push to sanction Iran's trading partners is falling flat, with most countries ignoring the threat.
• At home, the Pentagon has quietly put conservative veterans with big social media followings on the payroll to sell the war and Pete Hegseth's culture-war fights, while military brass privately object to the strikes.

Outlook: Iranian retaliation looks likely, and any move against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would put oil markets on edge.