The United States military has conducted fresh strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island following an alleged attempt by Iranian forces to target a US aircraft, three American officials have disclosed.
The operation, carried out on Monday, was described by US officials as a limited defensive action aimed at protecting American assets from Iranian surface-to-air missile threats. CNN reported that the strikes were not part of a larger military offensive, although similar operations had reportedly been conducted secretly in the past.
Iran’s state-affiliated Fars News Agency reported several explosions on Qeshm Island early Tuesday. Residents of neighbouring Hengam Island and Bandar Abbas also reportedly heard the blasts. Qeshm is located about 14 miles from Bandar Abbas and lies close to the Strait of Hormuz, a major international oil shipping route.
The military operation comes as US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have indicated that diplomatic discussions with Tehran are ongoing. Vance said on Monday that Washington and Tehran had made some progress towards ending the conflict, while Trump maintained that an agreement remained possible.
However, Trump also threatened possible further military action against Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground Iranian nuclear facility. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had warned that any major fresh attack on the country would attract retaliation without geographical limitations.
Oil prices rose during early Asian trading on Tuesday following news of the strikes, reversing an earlier decline associated with expectations of progress in US-Iran negotiations.
