diff --git a/projects/packages/search/changelog/echo-search-168-localize-rating-aria-label b/projects/packages/search/changelog/echo-search-168-localize-rating-aria-label
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8388616980f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/packages/search/changelog/echo-search-168-localize-rating-aria-label
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: fixed
+
+Search Blocks: localize the front-end product-rating aria-label (and other Interactivity API view-bundle strings) via @wordpress/i18n on the page locale, so screen readers no longer hear English on translated stores.
diff --git a/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/blocks/active-filters/view.js b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/blocks/active-filters/view.js
index 96e6550ec987..20b3d9f60c95 100644
--- a/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/blocks/active-filters/view.js
+++ b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/blocks/active-filters/view.js
@@ -1,9 +1,17 @@
+import { __, sprintf } from '@wordpress/i18n';
 import { store, getContext } from '@wordpress/interactivity';
 import { formatDateBucketLabel } from '../../store/api';
 import '../../store';
 import { bucketLabel, bucketValue } from '../../store/bucket-key';
+import { bootstrapI18n } from '../../store/i18n-bootstrap';
 import './style.scss';
 
+// Fetch translations for *this* bundle. The store module bootstraps for
+// its own filename, so result-utils strings load via that path; this one
+// covers the `__('Remove %s', ...)` call below, which lives in the
+// active-filters bundle's .json file rather than the store's.
+bootstrapI18n( 'active-filters.js' );
+
 const NAMESPACE = 'jetpack-search';
 
 /**
@@ -41,15 +49,14 @@ function resolveValueLabel( state, filterKey, filterValue ) {
 store( NAMESPACE, {
 	state: {
 		/**
-		 * Pill descriptors for `data-wp-each`. `ariaLabel` uses the "Remove %s"
-		 * format seeded from PHP because the view bundle cannot import
-		 * `@wordpress/i18n`.
+		 * Pill descriptors for `data-wp-each`. `ariaLabel` is composed via
+		 * `@wordpress/i18n` so it picks up the page's translations through
+		 * the i18n shim — see `Search_Blocks::register_i18n_module()`.
 		 *
 		 * @return {Array<object>} Pill descriptors.
 		 */
 		get activePills() {
 			const { state } = store( NAMESPACE );
-			const removeFormat = state.strings?.removeFilter ?? 'Remove %s';
 			const pills = [];
 			for ( const [ filterKey, values ] of Object.entries( state.activeFilters ?? {} ) ) {
 				if ( ! Array.isArray( values ) ) {
@@ -64,7 +71,8 @@ store( NAMESPACE, {
 						filterKey,
 						value,
 						label,
-						ariaLabel: removeFormat.replace( '%s', label ),
+						/* translators: %s: filter label (e.g. "Category: News"). Announced by screen readers when focus lands on a filter pill's remove button. */
+						ariaLabel: sprintf( __( 'Remove %s', 'jetpack-search-pkg' ), label ),
 					} );
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/class-search-blocks.php b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/class-search-blocks.php
index 122e515cfbd6..b2140ee7b9bc 100644
--- a/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/class-search-blocks.php
+++ b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/class-search-blocks.php
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ class Search_Blocks {
 	public static function init() {
 		add_action( 'init', array( static::class, 'register_blocks' ) );
 		add_action( 'init', array( static::class, 'register_search_template' ) );
+		add_action( 'init', array( static::class, 'register_i18n_module' ) );
 		add_filter( 'block_categories_all', array( static::class, 'register_block_category' ) );
 		add_filter( 'search_template_hierarchy', array( static::class, 'prepend_search_template' ) );
 		// FSE block-template rendering runs *before* `wp_head()` (see
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ public static function init() {
 		// deep-merge no-op and keeps classic-theme paths covered.
 		add_action( 'template_redirect', array( static::class, 'seed_interactivity_state' ) );
 		add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', array( static::class, 'seed_interactivity_state' ) );
+		add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', array( static::class, 'enqueue_i18n_runtime' ) );
 		add_action( 'enqueue_block_editor_assets', array( static::class, 'enqueue_editor_assets' ) );
 	}
 
@@ -167,6 +169,61 @@ public static function enqueue_editor_assets() {
 		);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Register `@wordpress/i18n` as a script module pointing at the package's
+	 * shim. The shim re-exports the live functions on `window.wp.i18n`,
+	 * letting the IAPI view bundle use `import { __, _n, sprintf } from
+	 * '@wordpress/i18n'` natively while sharing the same translation runtime
+	 * the classic `wp-i18n` script provides — and that
+	 * `wp.jpI18nLoader.downloadI18n()` populates with per-bundle translations.
+	 *
+	 * WP core only registers `@wordpress/interactivity` (and recently a11y /
+	 * router) as script modules, so the canonical `@wordpress/i18n` ID is
+	 * unclaimed today; we register the shim under that ID so any future
+	 * cross-package converger can find it. `wp_register_script_module()` is
+	 * first-registered-wins, so if WP core later ships a native `@wordpress/i18n`
+	 * module at the same priority this method should be removed (or
+	 * deregister-then-register) to let core take over.
+	 */
+	public static function register_i18n_module() {
+		if ( ! function_exists( 'wp_register_script_module' ) ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		$base_path  = Package::get_installed_path() . 'build/search-blocks/store/';
+		$shim_path  = $base_path . 'i18n-shim.js';
+		$asset_file = $base_path . 'i18n-shim.asset.php';
+		if ( ! file_exists( $shim_path ) || ! file_exists( $asset_file ) ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		$asset    = require $asset_file;
+		$shim_url = plugins_url( 'i18n-shim.js', $shim_path );
+		wp_register_script_module(
+			'@wordpress/i18n',
+			$shim_url,
+			array(),
+			$asset['version'] ?? false
+		);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Enqueue the classic `wp-i18n` script and the `wp-jp-i18n-loader` runtime
+	 * (registered by `Automattic\Jetpack\Assets`) on every page. The shim
+	 * registered by `register_i18n_module()` re-exports `wp.i18n` from the
+	 * classic script, and `wp.jpI18nLoader.downloadI18n( bundlePath,
+	 * 'jetpack-search-pkg', 'plugin' )` (called from `store/i18n-bootstrap.js`)
+	 * fetches and `setLocaleData()`s the per-bundle translation .json — the
+	 * same path `@automattic/i18n-loader-webpack-plugin` injects into
+	 * classic-script bundles. We're just opting our front-end view bundles
+	 * into the existing pipeline.
+	 */
+	public static function enqueue_i18n_runtime() {
+		if ( ! function_exists( 'wp_enqueue_script' ) ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		wp_enqueue_script( 'wp-i18n' );
+		wp_enqueue_script( 'wp-jp-i18n-loader' );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Add a "Jetpack Search" block category so our blocks appear under that
 	 * heading in the inserter instead of "Uncategorized".
@@ -653,15 +710,6 @@ public static function build_initial_state() {
 			// string on first paint; `actions.search()` keeps it in lockstep
 			// with `isLoading` / `totalResults` via `computeResultsCountText`.
 			'resultsCountText' => $is_initial_loading ? $searching_text : '',
-
-			// Translated view-bundle strings. The Interactivity API view bundle
-			// can't import @wordpress/i18n (only @wordpress/interactivity is
-			// registered as a script module), so any JS-produced text is seeded
-			// here and read via state.strings.* on the client. Both _n() forms
-			// are seeded so the client can pick based on the live totalResults
-			// without a round trip; languages with more than two plural forms
-			// degrade to "plural for all count > 1" as an accepted tradeoff.
-			'strings'          => static::build_initial_strings(),
 		);
 	}
 
@@ -777,31 +825,6 @@ public static function emit_filter_wrapper_context( string $filter_key, bool $sh
 		);
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Seed translated view-bundle strings for the Interactivity API store.
-	 *
-	 * @return array<string, string>
-	 */
-	protected static function build_initial_strings(): array {
-		if ( ! function_exists( '__' ) || ! function_exists( '_n' ) ) {
-			return array(
-				'searching'          => 'Searching…',
-				'resultsCountSingle' => 'Found %d result',
-				'resultsCountPlural' => 'Found %d results',
-				'removeFilter'       => 'Remove %s',
-			);
-		}
-		return array(
-			'searching'          => __( 'Searching…', 'jetpack-search-pkg' ),
-			/* translators: %d: number of results. */
-			'resultsCountSingle' => _n( 'Found %d result', 'Found %d results', 1, 'jetpack-search-pkg' ),
-			/* translators: %d: number of results. */
-			'resultsCountPlural' => _n( 'Found %d result', 'Found %d results', 2, 'jetpack-search-pkg' ),
-			/* translators: %s: filter label (e.g. "Category: News"). Announced by screen readers when focus lands on a filter pill's remove button. */
-			'removeFilter'       => __( 'Remove %s', 'jetpack-search-pkg' ),
-		);
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Parse the search query from the URL, reading whichever key
 	 * `get_search_param_name()` says is active for this request (`s` on
diff --git a/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/i18n-bootstrap.js b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/i18n-bootstrap.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..236471e6622e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/i18n-bootstrap.js
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+const TEXT_DOMAIN = 'jetpack-search-pkg';
+const BUILD_PREFIX = 'build/search-blocks/';
+
+const seen = new Set();
+
+/**
+ * Lazy-load the `jetpack-search-pkg` translation .json for one entry bundle
+ * and feed it into `wp.i18n.setLocaleData()`.
+ *
+ * Wraps the standard Jetpack runtime translation fetcher
+ * (`wp.jpI18nLoader.downloadI18n`, registered as the `wp-jp-i18n-loader`
+ * classic script by `Automattic\Jetpack\Assets`) — the same path
+ * `@automattic/i18n-loader-webpack-plugin` injects into classic-script
+ * bundles. Each entry that has its own `__()` / `_n()` calls invokes
+ * `bootstrapI18n( '<bundle-filename>' )` from its own module so the loader
+ * hashes the per-bundle path and fetches that bundle's translation file.
+ *
+ * Translations land asynchronously: deep-linked search pages render
+ * source strings on first paint and re-render with locale strings once
+ * the fetch resolves. Acceptable trade-off vs. inlining `setLocaleData()`
+ * because we route entirely through the existing pipeline.
+ *
+ * Idempotent — a second call for the same `bundleFilename` is a no-op.
+ *
+ * @param {string} bundleFilename - Filename of the calling entry relative to the package's
+ *                                `build/search-blocks/` output dir, e.g. `'store/index.js'`
+ *                                or `'active-filters.js'`.
+ * @return {void}
+ */
+export function bootstrapI18n( bundleFilename ) {
+	if ( typeof bundleFilename !== 'string' || seen.has( bundleFilename ) ) {
+		return;
+	}
+	seen.add( bundleFilename );
+
+	const loader = ( typeof window !== 'undefined' && window.wp && window.wp.jpI18nLoader ) || null;
+	if ( ! loader || typeof loader.downloadI18n !== 'function' ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	// jp-i18n-loader prepends `state.domainPaths['jetpack-search-pkg']` (set
+	// by `Assets::alias_textdomain` to `jetpack_vendor/automattic/jetpack-search/`)
+	// and md5-hashes the result to match the .json filename Jetpack's
+	// translation pipeline produced for our textdomain.
+	const path = BUILD_PREFIX + bundleFilename;
+
+	// Fire-and-forget. Failures (en_US default, missing .json, network) are
+	// benign — strings stay in the source language.
+	loader.downloadI18n( path, TEXT_DOMAIN, 'plugin' ).catch( () => undefined );
+}
diff --git a/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/i18n-shim.js b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/i18n-shim.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..43449bcbfe54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/i18n-shim.js
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/**
+ * ESM shim that exposes the classic `wp-i18n` runtime as the
+ * `@wordpress/i18n` script module.
+ *
+ * The Interactivity API view bundle imports `@wordpress/i18n`; webpack
+ * externalizes that import as a script-module reference (see
+ * `requestToExternalModule` in `tools/webpack.blocks.config.js`); WP
+ * resolves the canonical `@wordpress/i18n` ID to this file via
+ * `wp_register_script_module()` in `class-search-blocks.php`. The shim
+ * re-exports the live functions on `window.wp.i18n`, which the classic
+ * `wp-i18n` script populates synchronously before any deferred module
+ * evaluates.
+ *
+ * Translations land on `window.wp.i18n` via `wp.jpI18nLoader.downloadI18n()`
+ * (the standard async fetcher kicked off by `store/i18n-bootstrap.js`),
+ * so non-English locales pick up translated strings on the next
+ * reactivity tick. If `wp-i18n` was not enqueued (e.g. the page renders
+ * no Jetpack Search blocks), the identity fallbacks below keep the page
+ * rendering English source strings instead of throwing.
+ */
+
+const i18n = ( typeof window !== 'undefined' && window.wp && window.wp.i18n ) || {};
+
+const identity = s => s;
+const pluralIdentity = ( single, plural, count ) => ( count === 1 ? single : plural );
+
+// Minimal `sprintf` substitute supporting the `%s`, `%d`, `%1$s`, `%2$d` forms
+// used by the search blocks. Only invoked when `wp.i18n.sprintf` is missing.
+const sprintfFallback = ( fmt, ...args ) => {
+	let i = 0;
+	return String( fmt ).replace( /%(?:(\d+)\$)?[sdf]/g, ( _, idx ) => {
+		const j = idx ? parseInt( idx, 10 ) - 1 : i++;
+		return String( args[ j ] );
+	} );
+};
+
+export const __ = i18n.__ || identity;
+export const _x = i18n._x || identity;
+export const _n = i18n._n || pluralIdentity;
+export const _nx = i18n._nx || pluralIdentity;
+export const sprintf = i18n.sprintf || sprintfFallback;
+export const isRTL = i18n.isRTL || ( () => false );
+export const hasTranslation = i18n.hasTranslation || ( () => false );
+export const setLocaleData = i18n.setLocaleData || ( () => undefined );
diff --git a/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/index.js b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/index.js
index effc1487530b..9a5b47697a67 100644
--- a/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/index.js
+++ b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/index.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { __, _n, sprintf } from '@wordpress/i18n';
 import {
 	store,
 	getContext,
@@ -5,6 +6,7 @@ import {
 } from '@wordpress/interactivity';
 import { buildSearchUrl, formatDateBucketLabel } from './api';
 import { bucketLabel, bucketValue } from './bucket-key';
+import { bootstrapI18n } from './i18n-bootstrap';
 import { isEventInsidePopoverRoot } from './popover-events';
 import { countActiveFilters, normalizeResult } from './result-utils';
 import {
@@ -14,6 +16,14 @@ import {
 } from './sort-menu-dom';
 import { pushStateToUrl, readStateFromUrl } from './url-state';
 
+// Trigger the per-bundle translation fetch as soon as the store module
+// loads. Every view-bundle entry imports the store, so this runs once per
+// page; the bootstrap dedupes so repeat imports are harmless. View bundles
+// with their own `__()`/`_n()` calls (e.g. active-filters/view.js) call
+// `bootstrapI18n` with their own filename so each entry's per-bundle .json
+// gets fetched.
+bootstrapI18n( 'store/index.js' );
+
 const NAMESPACE = 'jetpack-search';
 let initialized = false;
 
@@ -174,17 +184,17 @@ let searchToken = 0;
  */
 export function computeResultsCountText( liveState ) {
 	if ( liveState.isLoading ) {
-		return liveState.strings?.searching ?? 'Searching…';
+		return __( 'Searching…', 'jetpack-search-pkg' );
 	}
 	const total = liveState.totalResults;
 	if ( total === 0 ) {
 		return '';
 	}
-	const template =
-		total === 1
-			? liveState.strings?.resultsCountSingle ?? 'Found %d result'
-			: liveState.strings?.resultsCountPlural ?? 'Found %d results';
-	return template.replace( '%d', total );
+	return sprintf(
+		/* translators: %d: number of results. */
+		_n( 'Found %d result', 'Found %d results', total, 'jetpack-search-pkg' ),
+		total
+	);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/result-utils.js b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/result-utils.js
index a51fbeaa864e..1b7bb90116d6 100644
--- a/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/result-utils.js
+++ b/projects/packages/search/src/search-blocks/store/result-utils.js
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@
  * Interactivity API templates consume. Extracted from store/index.js so they
  * can be unit-tested without bootstrapping the IAPI runtime.
  *
- * Note: this module is loaded inside the Interactivity API view bundle, where
- * `@wordpress/i18n` is not available — the IAPI runtime rejects WP-script
- * imports. Strings here are deliberately untranslated; the editor preview
- * (edit.js) composes its own localized versions via wp.i18n. Localizing the
- * frontend strings is tracked separately so it lands once the IAPI build
- * pipeline gains wp.i18n support.
+ * `@wordpress/i18n` calls go through DEP's `var wp.i18n` external (configured
+ * in `tools/webpack.blocks.config.js`), so the import below compiles to a
+ * `window.wp.i18n` global read at runtime — same convention DEP uses in
+ * classic-script bundles. Translations land via `wp.jpI18nLoader.downloadI18n`
+ * (kicked off by `store/i18n-bootstrap.js`), so non-English locales pick up
+ * translated strings on the next reactivity tick.
  */
+import { __, _n, sprintf } from '@wordpress/i18n';
 
 const HTTP_SCHEME_PATTERN = /^https?:\/\//i;
 const ANY_SCHEME_PATTERN = /^[a-z][a-z0-9+.-]*:/i;
@@ -307,10 +308,6 @@ function normalizeProductFields( fields ) {
 /**
  * Compose the screen-reader announcement for the rating row.
  *
- * Strings are intentionally untranslated — see the file-level comment.
- * Localization is tracked as a follow-up that needs IAPI build support
- * for `@wordpress/i18n`.
- *
  * @param {number} rating      - 0–5 average rating.
  * @param {number} reviewCount - Number of reviews backing the rating.
  * @return {string} Aria-label, or '' when the row should be hidden.
@@ -320,12 +317,23 @@ function buildRatingAriaLabel( rating, reviewCount ) {
 		return '';
 	}
 	if ( reviewCount <= 0 ) {
-		return `${ rating } out of 5 stars`;
-	}
-	if ( reviewCount === 1 ) {
-		return `${ rating } out of 5 stars based on 1 review`;
+		return sprintf(
+			/* translators: %s: average product rating (e.g. "4.5"). */
+			__( '%s out of 5 stars', 'jetpack-search-pkg' ),
+			rating
+		);
 	}
-	return `${ rating } out of 5 stars based on ${ reviewCount } reviews`;
+	return sprintf(
+		/* translators: %1$s: average product rating; %2$d: number of reviews. */
+		_n(
+			'%1$s out of 5 stars based on %2$d review',
+			'%1$s out of 5 stars based on %2$d reviews',
+			reviewCount,
+			'jetpack-search-pkg'
+		),
+		rating,
+		reviewCount
+	);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/projects/packages/search/tests/js/search-blocks/active-filters-view.test.js b/projects/packages/search/tests/js/search-blocks/active-filters-view.test.js
index b0b7747d62e1..472e05981f46 100644
--- a/projects/packages/search/tests/js/search-blocks/active-filters-view.test.js
+++ b/projects/packages/search/tests/js/search-blocks/active-filters-view.test.js
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ describe( 'active-filters view store — activePills label resolution', () => {
 		captured.state.activeFilters = {};
 		captured.state.aggregations = {};
 		captured.state.filterConfigs = {};
-		captured.state.strings = { removeFilter: 'Remove %s' };
 		contextRef.current = { pill: null };
 	} );
 
@@ -101,11 +100,13 @@ describe( 'active-filters view store — activePills label resolution', () => {
 		expect( captured.state.activePills[ 0 ].label ).toBe( 'Post Type: Media file' );
 	} );
 
-	it( 'uses removeFilter format string for the aria-label', () => {
-		captured.state.strings.removeFilter = 'Remove %s filter';
+	it( 'composes the aria-label via @wordpress/i18n with the resolved label', () => {
+		// Strings flow through `__()` + `sprintf()` from `@wordpress/i18n`;
+		// in the Jest env that's the unmocked npm package, so the source
+		// "Remove %s" string round-trips with the label substituted in.
 		captured.state.activeFilters = { category: [ 'news' ] };
 		captured.state.aggregations = { category: { buckets: [ { key: 'news/News' } ] } };
 		captured.state.filterConfigs = { category: { label: 'Category', valueLabels: {} } };
-		expect( captured.state.activePills[ 0 ].ariaLabel ).toBe( 'Remove Category: News filter' );
+		expect( captured.state.activePills[ 0 ].ariaLabel ).toBe( 'Remove Category: News' );
 	} );
 } );
diff --git a/projects/packages/search/tests/js/search-blocks/store.test.js b/projects/packages/search/tests/js/search-blocks/store.test.js
index 8caf7438ed15..c03292e51223 100644
--- a/projects/packages/search/tests/js/search-blocks/store.test.js
+++ b/projects/packages/search/tests/js/search-blocks/store.test.js
@@ -430,11 +430,6 @@ describe( 'store getters', () => {
 			activeFilters: {},
 			aggregations: {},
 			sortOrder: 'relevance',
-			strings: {
-				searching: 'Looking…',
-				resultsCountSingle: 'Found %d item',
-				resultsCountPlural: 'Found %d items',
-			},
 		} );
 	} );
 
@@ -445,15 +440,20 @@ describe( 'store getters', () => {
 		// resolve server-side. Exercising `computeResultsCountText` directly
 		// keeps the formatting contract under test without driving the full
 		// fetch lifecycle.
+		//
+		// Strings come from `@wordpress/i18n` via the package's i18n shim;
+		// in the Jest env that resolves to the unmocked npm package, so
+		// `__()` returns the source string and `_n()` picks the singular/
+		// plural form by `count`.
 		state.isLoading = true;
-		expect( computeResultsCountText( state ) ).toBe( 'Looking…' );
+		expect( computeResultsCountText( state ) ).toBe( 'Searching…' );
 
 		state.isLoading = false;
 		state.totalResults = 1;
-		expect( computeResultsCountText( state ) ).toBe( 'Found 1 item' );
+		expect( computeResultsCountText( state ) ).toBe( 'Found 1 result' );
 
 		state.totalResults = 3;
-		expect( computeResultsCountText( state ) ).toBe( 'Found 3 items' );
+		expect( computeResultsCountText( state ) ).toBe( 'Found 3 results' );
 
 		state.totalResults = 0;
 		expect( computeResultsCountText( state ) ).toBe( '' );
diff --git a/projects/packages/search/tests/php/Search_Blocks_Test.php b/projects/packages/search/tests/php/Search_Blocks_Test.php
index f34b49affe2b..34bb761aa15c 100644
--- a/projects/packages/search/tests/php/Search_Blocks_Test.php
+++ b/projects/packages/search/tests/php/Search_Blocks_Test.php
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ public function test_build_initial_state_shape() {
 			'isLoading',
 			'isLoadingMore',
 			'hasError',
-			'strings',
 		);
 
 		$this->assertTrue( class_exists( Search_Blocks::class ) );
@@ -57,26 +56,6 @@ public function test_build_initial_state_shape() {
 		}
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * View-bundle strings seeded here are the sole i18n channel for the
-	 * Interactivity API bundle — it can't import @wordpress/i18n. Both
-	 * plural forms must be seeded so the client can pick based on the
-	 * live totalResults, and the format string must carry a `%d` token.
-	 */
-	public function test_build_initial_state_seeds_translated_strings() {
-		$state = Search_Blocks::build_initial_state();
-		$this->assertArrayHasKey( 'strings', $state );
-		$strings = $state['strings'];
-		$this->assertArrayHasKey( 'searching', $strings );
-		$this->assertArrayHasKey( 'resultsCountSingle', $strings );
-		$this->assertArrayHasKey( 'resultsCountPlural', $strings );
-		$this->assertArrayHasKey( 'removeFilter', $strings );
-		$this->assertNotSame( '', $strings['searching'] );
-		$this->assertStringContainsString( '%d', $strings['resultsCountSingle'] );
-		$this->assertStringContainsString( '%d', $strings['resultsCountPlural'] );
-		$this->assertStringContainsString( '%s', $strings['removeFilter'] );
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * A known `orderby` in the URL must seed sortOrder so SSR pre-fetches
 	 * the correct ordering. Values must stay aligned with the UI keys in
diff --git a/projects/packages/search/tools/webpack.blocks.config.js b/projects/packages/search/tools/webpack.blocks.config.js
index d75b020a1fb5..fa1248bd8ca6 100644
--- a/projects/packages/search/tools/webpack.blocks.config.js
+++ b/projects/packages/search/tools/webpack.blocks.config.js
@@ -31,11 +31,20 @@ const blockViewEntries = readBlockViewEntries();
 const storeIndexPath = path.join( __dirname, '../src/search-blocks/store/index.js' );
 const storeEntries = fs.existsSync( storeIndexPath ) ? { 'store/index': storeIndexPath } : {};
 
+// The i18n shim is the runtime that `@wordpress/i18n` resolves to in the IAPI
+// module bundle (see `requestToExternalModule` below). It re-exports the
+// classic `wp-i18n` script's live `window.wp.i18n` functions, so calls go
+// through the shared runtime that `wp.jpI18nLoader.downloadI18n()` populates
+// translations into via `setLocaleData()`.
+const i18nShimPath = path.join( __dirname, '../src/search-blocks/store/i18n-shim.js' );
+const i18nShimEntry = fs.existsSync( i18nShimPath ) ? { 'store/i18n-shim': i18nShimPath } : {};
+
 module.exports = {
 	mode: jetpackWebpackConfig.mode,
 	devtool: jetpackWebpackConfig.devtool,
 	entry: {
 		...storeEntries,
+		...i18nShimEntry,
 		...blockViewEntries,
 	},
 	output: {
@@ -83,10 +92,34 @@ module.exports = {
 	},
 	plugins: [
 		...jetpackWebpackConfig.StandardPlugins( {
-			DependencyExtractionPlugin: { injectPolyfill: false },
+			DependencyExtractionPlugin: {
+				injectPolyfill: false,
+				// Externalize `@wordpress/i18n` as a real script-module
+				// reference so the dependency name in .asset.php is a valid
+				// module ID — the package registers a matching shim under
+				// the same ID via `Search_Blocks::register_i18n_module()`.
+				// (We can't externalize to `var wp.i18n` here: DEP records
+				// the *external value* in module mode, which would put
+				// `wp.i18n` into asset.php's deps array; WP then silently
+				// refuses to enqueue any view bundle whose declared deps
+				// include an unresolvable script-module ID.)
+				requestToExternalModule( request ) {
+					if ( request === '@wordpress/i18n' ) {
+						// `module` (not `import`) so webpack emits a hoisted
+						// static `import * from '@wordpress/i18n'` rather
+						// than a dynamic `import()` Promise — same pattern
+						// DEP uses for `@wordpress/interactivity`.
+						return 'module @wordpress/i18n';
+					}
+				},
+			},
 			// I18nLoaderPlugin tries to inject @wordpress/jp-i18n-loader as an
 			// import, which isn't supported by the DependencyExtractionPlugin
-			// in ESM/module output mode. Disable for this build.
+			// in ESM/module output mode. Disable for this build — translation
+			// loading runs through an explicit `wp.jpI18nLoader.downloadI18n()`
+			// call from `store/i18n-bootstrap.js` instead, which works in
+			// module mode because we read jp-i18n-loader off the global
+			// rather than as an import.
 			I18nLoaderPlugin: false,
 		} ),
 	],