Fact Check: Is Iran's claim US strike on Larak Island killed 2 IRGC members and injured 2 true?

WASHINGTON, DC: Unverified claims have circulated online after US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island.

One recent post claimed that Iran confirmed the US strike killed two IRGC members and injured two others. US forces struck the island after saying the IRGC was preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Iran later vowed to retaliate and confirmed casualties from the strike. Let's fact-check the claim.

Claim: US strike killed two IRGC members and injured two others

The rumor originated from an X user named HormuzLetter, who claimed that Iran had confirmed the number of casualties from the US strike on Larak Island.

The user wrote, “Iran confirms the US strike on Larak Island killed 2 IRGC members and injured 2 others, per Tasnim. Iran's Marandi says 'the Trump regime has made a grave mistake.'”

At the time of writing, the post had received more than 111,900 views and attracted several comments.

The claim emerged after US forces struck Larak Island, marking the first publicly acknowledged American attack on Iranian territory since late July.

The latest strike has raised concerns about renewed tensions between the United States and Iran after months of heavy fighting followed by a fragile period of reduced hostilities. The development has increased uncertainty over whether the pause in fighting will continue.

Fact Check: Misleading, IRGC did not mention casualty figures

The claim is misleading. Iran’s IRGC confirmed that the US strike killed and injured Iranian fighters and civilians, but it did not initially confirm that exactly two IRGC members were killed and two others were injured. Reuters reported that the IRGC did not provide a specific number of casualties.

The claim gained attention because the strike happened near the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.

The US had recently said it cleared mines from the area and warned that it would stop new attempts to mine the route. Any attempt to place new mines could threaten commercial ships and increase tensions in the region.

Iran has also responded to the strike, raising concerns about further escalation. Iranian sources and reports said the IRGC launched ballistic missiles at US bases in Jordan, including King Hussein and Al Azraq, in retaliation.

Most of the missiles were reportedly intercepted, with limited damage reported so far. Iranian officials, including an IRGC spokesman, called the Larak Island strike a “strategic and fatal mistake” by the Trump administration and threatened further “response and punishment.”