Reported US strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island follow Vance’s hopes for deal

The United States reportedly carried out limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island late on Monday, hours after Vice-President JD Vance expressed confidence in diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end. US media reports characterised the attacks as defensive and indicated they were not considered a sign that full hostilities were restarting.

Iranian state media reported several explosions on the island on Monday evening, while local outlets said their cause was unclear. The Wall Street Journal first reported the US strikes. Reuters and the Associated Press subsequently reported that the targets were surface-to-air missiles being used against US assets. US Central Command did not immediately answer a Reuters request for comment.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the operation was among several US attacks on Iran in recent weeks that had not been disclosed publicly. Sources cited by the newspaper suggested those operations were smaller in scale and that the Trump administration had deliberately kept them secret to avoid conveying an intention to restart its military campaign. If confirmed, Monday’s attack would be the first publicly known US strike on Iran in weeks.

Qeshm Island, at the mouth of the strait of Hormuz, has been struck by the US repeatedly during the war. It has previously served as a base for attacks on shipping through the waterway. Iran has continued enforcing the strait’s closure by targeting oil tankers, container vessels and other ships attempting to pass through.

The reports followed comments from Vance on Monday about the possibility of an agreement, after Tehran disclosed that indirect negotiations with Washington were taking place. Vance told reporters that he and President Donald Trump were encouraged by the prospects for a negotiated settlement. “We’ve certainly made some progress. We’ll see if we can make some more,” he said.

Trump had answered “no” earlier on Monday when asked whether he had considered renewing strikes after Tuesday’s US midterm elections. In a Fox News appearance hours before voting began, he again played down the conflict and its economic impact, saying there was a strong chance of an agreement while suggesting fighting could follow if negotiations failed.

The developments came as Republicans faced the prospect of an electoral backlash over the war’s impact on living costs. Higher petrol prices have become a prominent campaign issue, with polls indicating voters were likely to punish the party. Delivering his final midterm campaign message from Washington, Trump celebrated a sharp fall in oil prices as his administration promoted renewed diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.