US Launches Limited Strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island Hours Before Midterms as Trump Says No Immediate Plan for War

The strikes came just hours before US midterm elections, with officials describing them as defensive and not a return to full-scale hostilities.

The United States carried out limited defensive strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz late Monday, according to multiple US media reports, after Iranian forces fired on an American aircraft in the strategic waterway [278247][278069][277648].

US officials told CNN and Fox News that the attack was a response to Iran first firing at a US aircraft on Monday evening, and described the action as defensive and intended to protect American assets in the region [278069][278247]. Iranian state television reported explosions on the island, with the IRNA news agency reporting that residents heard five explosions and saw two aircraft in the sky [278247].

The strikes came on the eve of crucial US midterm elections, in which Trump's Republican Party is expected to face voter backlash over the war's impact on the cost of living [277541]. The unpopular eight-month war with Iran and its effect on US gasoline prices have been a weakness for Republicans as they try to keep control of Congress [278157].

Hours before polls closed, Trump told the Financial Times that the United States has no immediate plan to strike Iran and described Washington's position with Tehran as "brilliant" [278379].

The limited strikes followed comments from Vice-President JD Vance, who said Monday morning that he had just spoken with Trump about negotiations with Iran and felt "quite optimistic about the prospects of reaching a negotiated deal" [278157]. Vance sent a letter to Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, last week, though the White House has released few details about its contents [278157].

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pressing for another wave of attacks on Iran after Tuesday's US elections, according to regional officials and a person familiar with the matter [278157]. Netanyahu pressed for strikes during a weekend call with Trump, who did not commit to military action [278157]. A return to full-scale war could help Netanyahu form an emergency government after he and his far-right allies lost their parliamentary majority in last week's Israeli elections [278157].

Other US allies in the Middle East have warned against new attacks, saying they would destabilize the region and could lead Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen to intensify attacks on Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping [278157]. Iran-backed militias in Iraq could also become involved [278157].

Iran warned Sunday that a new war with the United States could last longer than the previous round of fighting and threatened retaliation with no geographical limits [276926].

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday, apparently due to diplomatic efforts to end the US-Iran war [278157].