US Strikes Iran’s Qeshm Island in Strait of Hormuz as Talks Continue
US forces struck Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, US officials said, as talks through Qatari mediators to end the war continued without a breakthrough.
The update
Iranian state media reported several explosions late on Monday on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, with witnesses saying they saw two planes overhead. Explosions were also reported in the port city of Bandar Lengeh. The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that US forces carried out the strikes, and the Associated Press cited a US official confirming defensive strikes against Iranian targets in the strait.
Why it matters
US officials described the strikes as defensive, aimed at limiting Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping. They are the latest in a series of smaller strikes in recent weeks that officials said were kept quiet to avoid signalling a return to major combat. The strait previously carried about a fifth of global crude oil and natural gas, and oil rose early on Tuesday, with Brent crude up 0.5 percent to $105.25 a barrel.
What to watch
The strikes came as talks to end the war that began in late February continued. President Donald Trump said on Monday he was not considering strikes after Tuesday’s midterm elections and that a deal could happen. Tehran said contacts through Qatari mediators continued, with revised proposals but no breakthrough, and Iran’s foreign minister said the strait would reopen if Washington accepted Iran’s conditions.
Sources
- aljazeera.com — confirms the explosions on Qeshm and Bandar Lengeh and the reported defensive strikes
- kwsn.com — Reuters confirms the strike report, oil reaction and continuing mediated talks
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