Published November 3, 2026November 3, 2026 Several explosions have been heard on Iran’s Qeshm Island, as US media reported that the US military carried out what officials called “defensive strikes” in the Strait of Hormuz. The explosions occurred in quick succession late on Monday, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA. Witnesses told the agency they saw two planes flying over the island, located off Iran’s southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz. ability to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. One official said Washington had deliberately kept the campaign quiet to avoid signaling a return to major combat operations. The Associated Press news agency also quoted a US official as saying that the US had carried out defensive strikes against Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz. The official said the target had been “Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against US assets.” Journalists from Fox News and Axios said the attacks were in response to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) firing on a US airliner in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Citing a U.S. official, Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin said the incident did not mark “the beginning of the expansion of attacks by the United States.” There was no immediate comment from Iranian or U.S. authorities. Oil prices rose more than $1 early Tuesday amid concerns about risks to energy supplies. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.60 to $98.06 a barrel, while Brent crude futures rose $1.84 to $106.61 a barrel. 07:44 GMT. US-Iran talks Earlier on Monday, the IRGC claimed it had captured two US drones, which it described as reconnaissance aircraft, south of Qeshm, using electronic warfare systems, and destroyed an MQ-9 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz. The reported US attacks come on the eve of crucial US midterm elections, with US President Donald Trump’s Republican Party fighting to maintain control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. amid intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent new attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran. Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform on Monday, suggested a deal with Iran could soon be reached. “Oil prices are falling like a rock, almost $10 a barrel, a record, because people feel there will not be a war with Iran,” he wrote. “Iran wants a deal as soon as possible. It could happen!” Previously, when asked by reporters if he was considering attacking Iran after Tuesday’s midterm elections, Trump responded “no.” Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism about the negotiations before reports of the attacks emerged, telling reporters on Monday that he had discussed talks with Trump earlier in the day. “We have had a number of good conversations with the Iranians,” he said when asked about a letter he sent last week to Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei. “The president and I feel pretty good about the prospects of reaching a negotiated agreement. We’re going to keep working on it.” These included the United States lifting its naval blockade of Iranian ports and securing an end to hostilities, paving the way for the reopening of the strait and the resumption of negotiations. Despite the diplomatic push, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also been pushing for another wave of strikes against Iran after the U.S. midterm elections, the Associated Press reported, citing two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter.
