WASHINGTON/TEHRAN — The United States carried out limited defensive strikes against Iranian surface-to-air missile sites on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz late Monday, officials said, as diplomatic efforts to secure a deal with Iran continued ahead of crucial midterm elections.
The strikes, described as defensive and limited in scope by a U.S. official, targeted Iranian missile systems that had been used against U.S. assets. Iranian state media reported several explosions heard on Qeshm Island on Monday evening, though the cause was initially unclear.
The operation came on the eve of crucial American midterm elections, in which the Republican party faced voter backlash over economic impacts, particularly rising petrol prices linked to the conflict. Hours before the strikes, Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism about diplomatic efforts, stating he and President Trump felt "pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lobbied President Trump for strikes in a weekend call, according to two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter. Netanyahu argued a return to full-scale war with Iran could help form an emergency government after his far-right coalition lost its parliamentary majority in last week's elections.
Qatari mediators held two rounds of talks last week with Iranian officials to advance a framework for Iran to cease its attacks in the Strait of Hormuz in return for the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran's ports, officials said. More talks are planned for this week.
Despite the military action, oil prices dropped sharply on Monday as renewed diplomatic efforts appeared to show signs of headway. President Trump, speaking on Election Day eve, downplayed the conflict's significance, noting the U.S. had not been "doing any fighting for months" and highlighting a sharp drop in petrol prices his administration had touted.
The Wall Street Journal reported the strikes were part of a series of operations carried out against Iran in recent weeks that had not been made public, conducted on a smaller scale and kept secret to avoid signaling any intent to resume the military campaign.
The U.S. has targeted Qeshm Island throughout the war due to its strategic position at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global shipping. The island has been used in the past to launch attacks on shipping in the waterway.
