Three US officials informed CNN that the US military conducted limited attacks on Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday. They described the action as defensive in nature and intended to safeguard US interests in the area.
According to one official, Iran fired at a US aircraft, which prompted the US attack. It doesn't seem to be the kind of significant combat operation that officials have been considering, and the Wall Street Journal, which originally reported on the operation, stated that similar strikes have previously been conducted covertly.
Another US official stated, "This was a defensive measure for Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against US assets."
However, the recent action on the eve of Election Day serves as a reminder that the Iranian problem remains unresolved and that war is still a real possibility.
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the administration purposefully concealed the attack in order to avoid exaggerating the defensive action. The strikes were intended to safeguard US assets, the person continued.
Early on Tuesday morning local time, "several explosions" were heard on Qeshm Island, according to Iran's state-affiliated Fars News Agency. Residents of the port city of Bandar Abbas and adjacent Hengam Island, both of which are situated close to or in the Strait of Hormuz, also reported hearing the explosions.
Iran claimed to have attacked multiple US drones in the area over the previous week. Late on Monday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have shot down two US reconnaissance drones above Qeshm Island, however it's unclear if this is connected to the US strikes.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's deputy foreign minister, stated that Tehran has the right to defend itself in response to the attacks on Qeshm Island, but he seemed to minimize the event by claiming that it is a part of a "ongoing war."
About 20 million barrels of oil moved through the strait every day prior to the war, and Qeshm Island, which is roughly 14 miles from Bandar Abbas, is crucial to Iran's ongoing attempts to establish control over commerce. The island was previously targeted by the US throughout the conflict.
The incident coincides with President Donald Trump's suggestion on Monday that diplomatic efforts with Tehran are still ongoing, stating on social media that a deal "could happen."
Over the past week, officials from Iran and Qatar have been traveling back and forth between their respective capitals to discuss a proposal to end the war. Iran claims that if Washington complies with its seven demands, it may reopen the Strait of Hormuz in two days. Iran's asserted control over the waterway is rejected by the US.
Iranian media and authorities have hinted at these demands, which include the US removing the naval embargo, releasing Iran's frozen assets, and ending the conflict "on all fronts," albeit they have not been formally made public.
Gharibabadi stated, "Iran's requirements are clear." "Naturally, a diplomatic understanding can be reached if these conditions are met."
After discussions in Tehran, Qatari mediators returned to Doha on Monday nite, a diplomat briefed on the talks told CNN. The two parties are now independently examining the most recent recommendations from mediators meant to close the gaps.
Another official knowledgeable on the situation told CNN that the mediators anticipate reactions from the US and Iran on the most recent proposal within two days.
"A very gentle conflict"
In an appearance that aired on Fox News on Monday nite, Trump stated that the US "might have to go after" Pickaxe Mountain, the suspected underground nuclear site where Israel believes Tehran has stored part of its enriched uranium stockpile and advanced enrichment centrifuges. However, he did not directly address the reports of new strikes in Iran.
That doesn't really matter. We can actually complete it in one hour. "All right, whenever we want, whenever we want," he replied.
Since the start of the war, Trump has hinted at the likelihood of an attack on several occasions, most notably in July when he stated that the US would strike Pickaxe Mountain "probably pretty soon."
Early on Tuesday, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is in charge of talks with the United States, issued a new warning. He declared that Iran's "military and strategic response to any enemy miscalculation will be unpredictable" and that the country would "not surrender to the enemy's threats and military actions."
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei declared on Saturday that a significant new strike will be retaliated against "without geographical limitations." Additionally, a senior security official in Tehran told CNN that Iran would attempt to target AI and other infrastructure outside of oil operations.
People in the Middle East are on edge after Trump stated earlier this month that the US would not attack Iran prior to the midterm elections, but he did not confirm or rule out whether strikes would resume afterward.
Trump widely defended his choice to start the war in Iran and implied that there hadn't been any recent fighting in the Fox interview.
"We're not engaged in combat. Everyone exclaims, "You're at war!" So, how recently did we fire anything? This is a very mild war, not a battle. However, this is not the same as an ongoing conflict. There isn't a war going on. It might occur if they don't reach an agreement, but they really want to, and there's a very high likelihood that we will," Trump stated.
The US and Iran have "made some progress" toward an off-ramp to the war, Vise President JD Vance told reporters on Monday.
The president frequently states that he has both kinetic and non-kinetic alternatives, but the Iranians are always a little surprising. However, we have undoubtedly advanced a little. The vise president said that he had just discussed the war with the president and that both men felt "pretty good" about a possible agreement. "We'll see if we can make some more," he said.
Following the announcement of the Qeshm Island strike, oil prices increased in early Asian trading on Tuesday. Prior to that, oil prices had been falling as the market considered the most recent developments in diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran; nonetheless, the cost of gasoline and diesel is still expected to be the highest of any US election day in history.
Before the Qeshm strikes, Trump tweeted on Truth Social, "Oil Prices are DROPPING LIKE A ROCK...because people feel that there will not be a War with Iran," adding, "Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible." It might occur!
