US strikes Iranian island as officials describe defensive response

The US military carried out limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island hours before the American midterm elections on 3 November. US officials described the action as a response to Iranian threats against shipping and American assets, while saying it did not mark a return to major combat operations in Iran.

Two officials told NBC News, Sky News's US partner, that the strikes were conducted in self-defence because Tehran had continued targeting maritime traffic and US assets. An alleged Iranian attempt to target an American aircraft prompted the operation on Qeshm Island, which was intended to take out a launcher.

One of the officials said US forces were intercepting drones and missiles directed at shipping every day. The official also accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of repeatedly targeting and firing at both crewed and uncrewed American aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz during the past few weeks. A third official described the strike as a defensive response to Iranian use of surface-to-air missiles against US assets.

Iranian state media had reported several explosions on Qeshm earlier on Monday. The island lies at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz and covers approximately 1,445 square kilometres, or 558 square miles. It has previously been struck by the US during the conflict.

President Donald Trump had suggested in recent weeks that attacks on Iran could resume after the midterm elections. However, following a speech at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday, he signalled that he might be considering a different course.

In a Monday post on Truth Social, Trump again raised the possibility of an agreement between Washington and Tehran, repeating a claim he has made throughout the conflict. He said oil prices had fallen by almost $10 a barrel, described the decline as a record and attributed it to expectations that there would not be a war with Iran. He also claimed Tehran wanted a settlement as soon as possible.

The military campaign against Iran has featured prominently in the run-up to the midterms. The war has affected the US economy through higher oil prices, making the conflict one of the key subjects of discussion before the vote.

Vice President JD Vance also expressed optimism about diplomacy earlier in the week. Speaking to reporters, he said he and Trump felt positive about the prospects of potentially reaching a negotiated settlement.