The U.S. reportedly conducted a series of limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in recent weeks as President Donald Trump publicly talks down the prospect of renewed fighting ahead of Tuesday’s crucial midterm elections.
U.S. Struck Iran’s Qeshm Island
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Monday, the U.S. struck the island multiple times in secret over recent weeks, citing unnamed officials familiar with the matter. The officials cited in the report described the attacks as being defensive.
The report says the lack of public announcements of the attacks, along with the attacks’ discreet nature, could suggest the Trump administration does not want to signal it is ready for escalation, the officials cited in the report said.
The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to Benzinga‘s request for comment.
Notably, Qeshm Island is located a few miles off the Iranian coast near the port city of Bandar Abbas and is home to a stockpile of underground anti-ship missiles, as well as a desalination plant.
John Ratcliffe’s Suggestion
Amid talks of de-escalation, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director John Ratcliffe reportedly advised Trump to not conduct fresh strikes against Tehran, but also not to reach a deal in a bid to ramp up economic pressure on Iran and force them to allow more concessions in a possible deal.
On the other hand, Iran’s President Massoud Pezeshkian said that the government had received the green light from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to seek a resolution to the war via diplomatic channels.
Scott Bessent’s Iran Oil Claims, Security Chief Warns Trump
Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the Strait of Hormuz’s ship movements had surpassed pre-war levels, even without Iranian oil moving out of the waterway. Bessent said that the Iranians “cannot live” without exporting oil, signalling ramped-up pressure.
However, Iran’s Security Chief Mohsen Rezaee, on Sunday, warned that the U.S. must accept Iran’s seven conditions to get back on the negotiating table, further saying that there could be consequences if it did not agree to Iran’s terms to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
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