U.S. strikes Iranian targets near Hormuz after American aircraft comes under fire

American forces carried out limited defensive strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz, three U.S. officials told CBS News. According to a senior U.S. official, the operation targeted Qeshm Island after members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired on an American aircraft. The Wall Street Journal first reported the strikes on Monday.

The action took place on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections, with President Trump raising the possibility of resuming hostilities after the vote. At the same time, the U.S. and Qatari mediators were working to broker negotiations on an agreement between Washington and Tehran. The war is entering its ninth month.

Trump's statements on Monday reflected his continued movement between pursuing a settlement and renewing sustained attacks. In an earlier Truth Social post, he suggested an agreement was possible and said Iran wanted to reach one quickly. By Monday night, he was discussing additional Iranian locations that could face military action.

Appearing on Sean Hannity's Fox News program, Trump identified several sites that he said still needed attention, including Pickaxe Mountain, which contains a suspected nuclear site. He characterized the prospective operation as a minor undertaking and said it could be completed in an hour.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Trump to conduct further sustained strikes during a telephone conversation over the weekend, The Associated Press reported. Trump confirmed that the two leaders had spoken and described their conversation positively, but offered no details about the subjects they discussed.

The conflict has played a major role in both the American midterm campaign and Israel's parliamentary elections. Rising costs resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have sharply eroded support for Trump and the Republican Party. In Israel, Netanyahu's party lost its majority in the first parliamentary vote held since Oct. 7, 2023.

A new U.S. Central Command estimate obtained by CBS News put American military spending on the Iran war at no less than $47.1 billion through mid-October. The assessment, supplied to lawmakers, included approximately $29 billion to replenish expended munitions and another $6.1 billion to replace equipment that had been lost.

Around $11.9 billion went toward incremental expenses, including support for U.S. service members. The estimate excluded damage to American military bases across the Middle East, many of which have come under attack from Iranian missiles and drones.