President Donald Trump has authorised military strikes against Iranian targets on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, a US official has confirmed, just a day before Americans head to the polls for the midterm elections.
The operation was described as defensive, with the official saying the targets were Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against US assets.
The official spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to discuss the operation publicly.
Iranian state television also reported explosions on Qeshm Island, confirming reports of military activity in the area.
The strikes appeared limited in scope rather than a resumption of full-scale military operations against Iran.
However, they come despite Trump’s previous statements that the United States would not launch fresh attacks before Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Strikes Target Threats to Shipping in Strait of Hormuz
According to officials cited by The Wall Street Journal, the latest military action was intended to prevent Iran from gaining the ability to attack allied vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz.
The development comes as thousands of American troops remain deployed in waters off Iran as part of a naval blockade designed to prevent tankers transporting Iranian oil from reaching international markets.
The US administration was last known to have conducted attacks against Iranian targets in early September.
Meanwhile, a third American aircraft carrier and thousands of additional troops are being deployed to the Middle East.
Trump Maintains War Has Already Been Won
Trump addressed the conflict during an interview with Fox News presenter Sean Hannity on Monday, insisting that the United States had already defeated Iran.
“We had a war with Iran. We won,” the president said.
He questioned whether the situation should still be described as a war, arguing that American forces had not been engaged in sustained fighting for months.
Comparing the situation with the First and Second World Wars, Trump said those conflicts involved continuous fighting, unlike the current confrontation with Iran.
He described the situation as a “soft war” and said there was no active war raging at present, although he warned that fighting could resume if Iran failed to reach an agreement with Washington.
Vance Signals Possibility of Diplomatic Agreement
Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism on Monday that negotiations could still produce an agreement and prevent Trump from ordering further military strikes after the midterm elections.
Vance had sent a letter to Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, the previous week, although the White House has provided limited information about its contents.
Trump told reporters that the correspondence concerned assistance for Iran, including medical supplies and other items.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Vance said discussions with Iranian officials had been productive and suggested that an agreement remained possible.
“We’ve had a number of good conversations with the Iranians,” he said.
He added that he had spoken with Trump approximately an hour earlier and that both men remained encouraged by the possibility of reaching a negotiated settlement.
Vance said the administration would continue working towards an agreement.
Iran Demands Guarantees From Washington
Iran has indicated that it wants assurances that the United States will honour its commitments under any potential agreement.
The demand comes amid concerns in Tehran that Washington and Israel have previously launched military operations while Iran was involved in negotiations over its disputed nuclear programme.
Iranian officials have publicly maintained that the country is prepared for either further military confrontation or diplomatic negotiations.
Meanwhile, backchannel discussions are continuing as Israel and several Middle Eastern allies lobby Trump over the next steps in the conflict, which has lasted more than eight months and disrupted global markets.
Iran’s New Supreme Leader Issues Warning
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has also addressed the possibility of further military confrontation with the United States and Israel.
During a meeting with Iranian military chiefs, he called for an immediate response to any threat from either country, regardless of its nature or severity.
Khamenei said Iran’s response should have no geographical limitations and called for an expansion of the list of potential targets.
His remarks come as tensions remain elevated across the region following the latest American strikes and continued diplomatic efforts to secure an agreement.
