The United States carried out a strike on Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday as part of a series of limited military operations conducted without public announcement in recent weeks, according to American officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The reported attack comes as President Donald Trump has played down the possibility of renewed large-scale military action against Iran following Tuesday’s US midterm elections, while suggesting that a diplomatic agreement with Tehran remains possible.
Iranian state media reported several explosions on Qeshm Island, strategically located at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
According to US officials, Washington has continued conducting smaller military strikes against Iranian targets for several weeks, despite publicly signalling a preference for negotiations.
Some officials described the operations as defensive measures intended to prevent Iranian forces from threatening commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
A US official separately told The Associated Press that American forces had targeted Iranian surface-to-air missile threats against US military assets in the region.
Unlike previous phases of the conflict, Washington has not publicly announced the latest operations.
One official said the administration had deliberately kept the strikes out of public view to avoid signalling an intention to resume a broader military campaign against Iran.
The disclosures contrast with Trump’s comments on Monday, when he suggested that Washington had already achieved its military objectives.
“We had a war with Iran. We won,” Trump told reporters, adding that American forces had not engaged in major combat operations for months.
Asked whether he intended to launch further strikes following the midterm elections, Trump replied that he did not.
Qeshm Island holds considerable strategic importance because of its position overlooking the Strait of Hormuz. It hosts Iranian naval facilities, underground missile infrastructure and a major desalination plant.
The island has previously been targeted during US military operations, while American officials have also discussed the possibility of taking control of the territory.
The Pentagon referred questions about the latest reported strikes to US Central Command, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The reported operations raise questions about Washington’s military strategy as the Trump administration continues diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran while maintaining pressure on Iranian forces around the vital shipping corridor.
Vice President JD Vance said Monday that the administration remained optimistic about the possibility of a negotiated settlement with Iran, although significant differences between the two countries remain.
