The United States has carried out limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, US officials say. The strikes came on Monday, hours before Americans vote in the midterm elections. Officials described the action as defensive, and said it was meant to protect US assets and commercial shipping.
What triggered the strikes
US officials told The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the operation, that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard fired a surface-to-air missile at a US aircraft. US forces then fired back in self-defence. In a separate incident on the same day, US forces stopped a missile that was fired from Qeshm and aimed at commercial shipping. Iranian media published images purportedly showing a US MQ-9 Reaper drone that it said was brought down, but that claim has not been confirmed by the US.
Explosions reported on the island
Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported explosions on Qeshm Island on Monday. The Fars news agency said several explosions were heard in the early hours of Tuesday local time. The blasts were also heard by people on the nearby Hengam Island and in the port city of Bandar Abbas. No casualties or damage figures have been reported so far. US Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Why the timing matters
The strikes came as President Donald Trump played down the chance of a return to full war with Iran after the midterm elections. Asked on Monday if he was considering strikes after the elections, he replied “No.” He also said on social media that a deal with Tehran “could happen.” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that “the ball is in the US court” on any deal to end the war. Iran has also said its plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could start within two days.
Read more of our Iran Claims Four Oil Tankers Exploded After Hitting Mines in Strait of Hormuz story, and more Politics coverage.
Why Qeshm Island is strategic
Qeshm Island sits at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, about 14 miles from Bandar Abbas. The strait is a vital route for world energy supplies, and about 20 million barrels of oil passed through it every day before the war. The island is home to a large underground missile site, a naval base and a major desalination plant. The US has targeted the island before. On 2 June, US Central Command announced a self-defence strike against an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm. US officials say the latest strikes are part of a series of limited strikes carried out in secret in recent weeks, so as not to signal a return to major combat. Washington and Tehran have been at war since 28 February.
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Be respectful — comments are moderated.[…] Tensions are high. The United States carried out limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island this week, as reported in US Strikes Iran’s Qeshm Island After Iranian Missile Fired at US Jet, Officials Say. […]