The United States has launched strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US officials who spoke to CBS News, amid escalating tensions between the two countries ahead of the American midterm elections.
Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, reported several explosions on the island on Monday. US officials described the strikes as limited military action in response to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) firing on an American aircraft.
The BBC said it had contacted US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, for comment on the reported strikes.
The development comes as President Donald Trump faces declining approval ratings and growing pressure from members of his Republican Party to bring the conflict to an end. The war began in February when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said he was in no hurry to escalate military operations, although he indicated that further action remained possible.
“One way or the other, we will do something, but there is no rush,” he told Axios, claiming that the US had severely weakened Iran’s finances and that the country’s population was becoming increasingly frustrated with the situation.
In a separate interview with Fox News, Trump also suggested that the United States might need to target a facility known as Pickaxe, which is linked to Iran’s nuclear programme. He described a possible operation against the site as a relatively straightforward military action that could be completed within an hour.
There has been growing speculation that Washington could resume large-scale military strikes against Iran after the midterm elections. However, when asked whether such an escalation was planned, Trump denied that this was the case.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said intensive negotiations aimed at ending the war were taking place with the United States through mediators.
Speaking to IRNA, Araghchi said Tehran was prepared for both diplomatic and military scenarios, adding that Washington had to choose between negotiations and what he described as further military aggression.
The reported strikes add another layer of uncertainty to the conflict, which has become a significant issue for the Trump administration as American voters prepare to elect members of Congress. The midterm elections will determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress or Democrats gain control of one or both chambers.
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