The United States has conducted what officials described as “defensive” strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
US officials told American media outlets that the strikes were limited and intended to restrict Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping through the strategic waterway.
One official said the operation was launched in response to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) firing on a US aircraft, while another said Iranian forces using surface-to-air missiles against American assets had been targeted.
Iran’s state-owned news agency reported several explosions on Qeshm Island late on Monday, describing blasts that occurred in rapid succession. The reports came as US officials confirmed that American forces had carried out strikes against Iranian targets in the region.
One official reportedly said Washington had deliberately kept the operation limited and low-profile to avoid signalling a return to large-scale combat operations.
The developments mark a further escalation in tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy shipments, as diplomatic efforts continue to secure an agreement between Washington and Tehran.
The reported US strikes followed claims by Iran’s IRGC that it had intercepted and destroyed American drones operating near the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian military force said it had captured two US reconnaissance drones south of Qeshm Island using electronic warfare systems. It also claimed to have destroyed an MQ-9 drone east of the strait.
The US officials’ account, meanwhile, presented the American operation as a defensive response to threats against US aircraft and other military assets.
The competing accounts highlight the growing risk of further military confrontation in the waterway, where both countries have maintained heightened security operations amid the wider conflict.
The latest developments also come as President Donald Trump faces pressure over the war, which began in February when the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran.
Trump Signals Possibility Of Agreement
Despite the latest military escalation, Trump suggested on Monday that a diplomatic settlement with Iran could be reached soon.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US President linked falling oil prices to expectations that the conflict might not develop into another major war.
“Oil Prices are dropping like a rock, down almost $10 a Barrel, a record, because people feel that there will not be a War with Iran. Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible. It could happen!”
Donald Trump
Trump’s comments came amid speculation that Washington could resume more extensive strikes against Iran after today’s US midterm elections, which will determine whether Republicans or Democrats control Congress.
However, when reporters asked whether he was considering striking Iran after the elections, Trump responded, “no.”
The President has faced declining polling numbers and pressure from within his Republican Party to bring the conflict to an end, as the economic and security implications of the war remain a concern.
Vance Expresses Optimism Over Negotiations
US Vice President JD Vance also expressed optimism about diplomatic efforts before reports of the latest strikes emerged.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Vance said he had discussed negotiations with Trump earlier in the day and believed there was potential for a negotiated settlement. “We’ve had a number of good conversations with the Iranians,” he said, referring to a letter he sent the previous week to Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei.
“The President and I both feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement. We’re going to keep on working at it.”
JD Vance
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei said that Tehran had clearly communicated its conditions for peace to Washington, adding that “the ball is in the US court.”
He said that Iran had condensed its proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and that the plan could be implemented within two days if the United States accepted Tehran’s conditions.
Those conditions include the lifting of the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and an agreement to end hostilities, which Iran says would pave the way for reopening the strait and resuming negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi also said intensive discussions aimed at ending the war were underway through mediators, while reiterating that Tehran was prepared for either diplomacy or military confrontation.
He described diplomacy as the “wise path” and warned against what he called the mistake of military aggression. His remarks reflect Tehran’s continued insistence that any agreement must address its security concerns and the conditions it has set for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest US strikes have added uncertainty to negotiations that both sides have publicly indicated they are willing to pursue. The immediate question is whether the two sides can prevent the latest escalation from undermining efforts to reach a negotiated settlement.
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