The United States military launched limited strikes on military targets on the Iranian island of Qeshm in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, as confirmed by three U.S. officials to CBS News.
The operation, described as defensive, occurred after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran (IRGC) fired at a U.S. military aircraft in the area.
An American fighter jet destroyed an Iranian surface-to-air missile launcher on the island following the IRGC's attack. The Iranian state agency IRNA reported several explosions in Qeshm—some media outlets mentioned five— as well as in the nearby town of Bandar Lengeh. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) did not release any public statement regarding the operation.
The IRGC, for its part, claimed to have shot down two American MQM-170 drones south of the island and an MQ-9 drone east of the strait, although Washington did not confirm these losses.
Qeshm, located in the north of the Strait of Hormuz, is a key strategic position: it hosts an underground missile facility, a naval base, and a desalination plant, and is essential for Iranian control of maritime traffic in that waterway.
The attacks occurred during a period of heightened political tension, on the eve of the midterm elections in the U.S. and amid ongoing indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran through mediators from Qatar and Pakistan, according to a report from BBC.
The president Donald Trump delivered a contradictory speech throughout Monday. In the morning, he posted on Truth Social that an agreement with Iran "could happen" and that "Iran wants a deal as soon as possible."
Hours later, in an interview with Fox News, he warned that the U.S. "still has to deal with" several sites in Iran, including Mount Pickaxe, which houses a suspected nuclear site, and stated that doing so "is not a big deal" and could be accomplished "in an hour."
Before reporters in Washington, Trump also downplayed the conflict: «I don't even know if it can be called a war since we've been months without fighting», he declared, according to EFE.
Iran responded firmly this Tuesday. The Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, stated that Tehran reserves "the right to legitimate defense" and will act "until the military aggression has completely and permanently ceased".
The president of the Iranian parliament and chief negotiator with the U.S., Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, was more direct: «The ball is now in the United States' court to prevent war», he stated in a televised speech.
Despite the escalation, negotiations have not been interrupted. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on Monday that "very intensive" talks were underway with Washington through Qatari and Pakistani mediators.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Majed al-Ansari, stated this Tuesday that both parties remain "committed to the negotiation process" and that Doha is facilitating "the real-time exchange of proposals between them."
The previous week, Iranian negotiators had discussed with mediators a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in two days if the U.S. met seven conditions, including lifting the naval blockade of Iranian ports and releasing frozen assets.
The conflict, now entering its ninth month, began on February 28, 2026, with joint attacks by the U.S. and Israel against Iranian nuclear and military facilities.
A preliminary agreement reached in June collapsed in July following new Iranian attacks on commercial vessels. As of October 16, the war had cost American taxpayers at least $47.1 billion solely in military expenditures, according to an estimate from CENTCOM provided to Congress.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Trump during a phone call over the weekend to initiate another wave of attacks against Iran following the elections, according to AP citing two regional officials. Trump acknowledged the conversation but did not disclose its contents.
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