Several explosions rattled Iran’s Qeshm Island late Monday, coinciding with reports from United States media outlets that the US military launched defensive strikes in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Explosions Reported Across Southern Iran
The blasts occurred in rapid succession, according to Iran’s state-owned IRNA news agency. Witnesses on the island, situated off Iran’s southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz, reported seeing two aircraft flying overhead. Meanwhile, the semi-official Fars news agency stated that explosions were also heard originating from the sea near the port city of Bandar Lengeh.
American media organizations, citing US officials, confirmed the military action. The Wall Street Journal reported that the operation was defensive and designed to limit Iran’s capability to target commercial vessels in the waterway. One official noted that Washington maintained silence on the campaign to prevent any perception that large-scale combat operations had resumed.
The Associated Press also quoted a US official who confirmed the defensive strikes targeted Iranian positions in the Strait of Hormuz. The official specified that the targets included Iranians utilizing surface-to-air missiles against American assets. Reporters from Fox News and Axios indicated the action followed an incident earlier on Monday where Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired upon a US aircraft in the area. Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin reported that an anonymous US official clarified the operation did not signal the beginning of broader US strikes. At the time, neither Iranian nor American authorities had issued an official statement.
Drone Claims and Diplomatic Context
Earlier on Monday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps asserted that it had seized two American reconnaissance drones south of Qeshm utilizing electronic warfare technology, and had shot down an MQ-9 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz.
The reported military actions coincided with the approach of crucial US midterm elections, as President Donald Trump’s Republican Party sought to maintain control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. These events also unfolded against a backdrop of heightened diplomatic initiatives aimed at averting fresh US military actions against Iran.
On Monday, President Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that an agreement with Tehran could be reached shortly. He stated that oil prices were dropping significantly because people believed a war with Iran would be avoided, adding that Iran wanted a swift settlement. When questioned by reporters earlier about whether he planned to strike Iran following Tuesday’s midterm elections, Trump answered in the negative.
Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that Tehran’s peace terms had been explicitly conveyed to Washington, declaring that the initiative now rested with the US. He explained that Iran’s blueprint to reopen the Strait of Hormuz had been streamlined and could be operational within 48 hours if Washington fulfilled conditions including the termination of the naval blockade on Iranian ports and a cessation of hostilities, which would enable the reopening of the strait and fresh talks.
