The US has reportedly struck Iran’s strategic Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz as President Donald Trump weighs diplomacy against renewed military action…reports Asian Lite News Desk
The United States has carried out strikes on Iran’s strategically important Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials. The attacks, conducted on Monday local time, are part of a series of limited military operations Washington has reportedly undertaken in recent weeks while President Donald Trump continues to signal the possibility of a diplomatic settlement with Tehran.
The latest strikes mark another escalation in tensions between the two countries, although Washington has not publicly acknowledged the operations.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the United States has been conducting smaller-scale strikes against Iranian targets for several weeks. Explosions were reported on social media around Qeshm Island on Monday.
Some US officials described the latest attacks as defensive operations intended to prevent Iran from freely targeting commercial vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical international shipping route.
Unlike earlier military operations during the conflict, the United States has not publicly announced the latest strikes. Washington has deliberately kept the campaign confidential to avoid signalling an intention to resume large-scale combat operations, a US official was quoted as saying.
President Donald Trump has indicated that he is in no hurry to decide whether to resume military action against Iran.
In a phone interview with Axios on Monday, Trump said he was “in no rush” to make a decision on further military operations.
“One way or the other, we will do something, but there is no rush. We crippled them financially. They have no money, no gasoline, and their people are getting very tired of it,” he said.
The US midterm elections are emerging as a significant consideration in Trump’s decision on whether to launch a major bombing campaign against Iran, Axios reported.
The president is reportedly pursuing diplomatic and military options simultaneously, allowing negotiations to continue while retaining the possibility of renewed military action if an agreement appears unlikely.
In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump also suggested that a settlement could be within reach, pointing to falling oil prices as a sign that markets expected a resolution without further conflict.
“Oil Prices are dropping like a rock, down almost 10 US dollars a barrel, a record, because people feel that there will not be a war with Iran. Iran wants a settlement as soon as possible. It could happen,” he wrote.
Iranian officials have warned that any fresh military attack would invite an unrestrained response from Tehran. However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has indicated that his country remains willing to pursue negotiations, according to the country’s official news agency IRNA.
The latest reported strikes come amid continuing uncertainty over the prospects for a diplomatic agreement and the possibility of renewed military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
