US hits Qeshm as talks advance
Washington struck the island in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday while President Trump suggested a deal with Tehran is possible.
By Yara Nasser ·
The United States attacked Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday. The strike occurred while President Donald Trump indicated that negotiations to end the eight-month conflict with Tehran were making progress.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the US carried out the assault. Citing unnamed US officials, the paper described the action as the most recent in a series of limited strikes. Washington has secretly conducted these operations against Iran in recent weeks.
Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that five explosions occurred in rapid succession on the island. Some residents stated they saw two aircraft flying over the area.
The Pentagon directed questions about the reported strikes to US Central Command. Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP late Monday.
The Journal noted that US forces have engaged in smaller-scale strikes for several weeks. Some officials described these assaults as defensive measures. The goal was to prevent Iran from having the freedom to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. This waterway is a key conduit for oil shipments. It has been largely blocked since the war began in late February.
The US has not publicly announced these attacks. The paper said this was done to avoid signaling any intention of resuming major combat operations.
On Monday, the day before the midterm elections in the United States, Trump said a deal with Tehran could happen. Oil prices plunged by more than seven percent on Monday. This drop followed optimism over a possible end to the conflict. Prices had previously risen sharply due to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz energy corridor.
