American forces launched strikes in the Strait of Hormuz following an attack on a US aircraft, while Donald Trump insisted the conflict is not a full-scale war.
The United States military struck targets on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after Iranian forces fired at an American aircraft, according to US officials cited by multiple news organizations.
Witnesses saw two aircraft flying over the island off the southern coast of Iran before a series of blasts hit in rapid succession late Monday, Al Jazeera reported. Iranian state media outlet IRNA confirmed several explosions on Qeshm, while the Fars news agency reported that blasts coming from the direction of the sea were also heard in the port city of Bandar Lengeh.
Officials described the operation as a limited defensive measure designed to restrict Iranian attacks against commercial shipping and surface-to-air missile crews targeting American assets, BBC News reported. The strikes took place hours after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it seized two American reconnaissance drones near Qeshm with electronic warfare systems and downed an MQ-9 drone east of the strait. Neither the Iranian nor American governments issued formal official statements immediately after the strikes.
Trump calls conflict a soft war before midterms
The military action occurred on the eve of Tuesday’s midterm elections, where Republicans are trying to maintain control of the House of Representatives and the Senate as voters contend with high fuel prices.
Speaking Monday on television, President Donald Trump rejected the idea that the country is locked in an endless military campaign, Fox News reported. “This is not much of a war, Sean, because there hasn’t been shooting for months,” Trump said on Hannity. He argued that the United States is operating from total strength, asserting that Iran’s navy, air force and air defenses have been wiped out and that its drone and missile stockpiles are severely depleted.
The conflict began eight months ago when American and Israeli forces attacked Iran in February. Pentagon figures place the taxpayer cost of the campaign at more than $47 billion, an expense Trump dismissed as peanuts. A Fox News poll showed 71% of voters believe the administration does not have an exit plan for the war, and lawmakers have debated actions such as a Senate to vote on resolution to halt Trump’s Iran war. When asked by reporters on Monday whether he planned to resume larger military strikes against Iran after Election Day, Trump answered no.
Targeting nuclear sites and economic pressure
So far in the conflict, the US and Iran clash over control of regional shipping routes, with American naval vessels like the USS Rafael Peralta enforcing a blockade of Iranian commercial ports.
Trump told Axios on Monday that the administration had financially crippled Iran, leaving it without money or gasoline. While noting that the earlier Operation Midnight Hammer had destroyed Iran’s potential nuclear power facilities, Trump warned that the US could target another site known as Pickaxe Mountain. He claimed American forces could carry out that operation in an hour if diplomatic talks break down.
Trump also wrote on his Truth Social platform that oil prices had dropped by nearly $10 a barrel on expectations that an agreement would be reached soon. He asserted that Iranian leaders want a rapid settlement and suggested an accord remains possible.
Diplomatic proposals and conditions for peace
Diplomatic representatives from both sides have continued indirect discussions through international mediators to find a peaceful resolution.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that intensive discussions are taking place through intermediaries, adding that Tehran is prepared for military and diplomatic outcomes. He maintained that Washington must decide whether to pursue negotiations or make what he termed a mistake of military aggression.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran presented a condensed plan that could restore transit through the Strait of Hormuz within two days. That proposal requires Washington to halt military operations and lift its naval blockade against Iranian ports before maritime traffic can fully reopen.
