The United States struck Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday, according to US officials cited by The Wall Street Journal, confirming reports from Iranian media. The attack was described as part of a series of limited US missions against Iran in recent weeks, carried out while President Donald Trump has continued to discuss the possibility of a diplomatic agreement.
The strike followed remarks by Trump that appeared to play down the prospect of renewed hostilities after the US midterm elections. “We had a war with Iran. We won,” he said on Monday, adding that he was unsure whether it could be called a war because there had been no fighting for months.
Officials said the United States had conducted small-scale attacks against Iran for several weeks. Explosions near Qeshm were reported on social media on Monday. Some officials characterized the operations as defensive measures intended to prevent Iran from having the freedom to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Qeshm lies at the entrance to the strait and is home to a large underground missile site, a naval base and a major desalination plant. The United States has targeted the island during earlier phases of fighting, and the possibility of occupying it has also been discussed.
Sources: ANSA Mondo.