US President Donald Trump confirmed US military strikes on the Iranian island of Qeshm, while stating that Washington has made “a lot of progress” in talks with Iran. Trump said on Friday that US forces had carried out “minor strikes” against Iranian air defense systems. minutes, maybe five.” The US president spoke shortly after Iranian state media reported two missile attacks on the Suza area of Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for oil shipments. State broadcaster IRIB also reported a statement from the Iranian military, saying the country’s air defense forces intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-9 drone over Qeshm island. He said the situation is “relatively calm.” A CENTCOM official told Al Jazeera that they were aware of the reports, adding that they had no further comment. CENTCOM announced in a post on Qeshm, as well as US media reported that the US military carried out what officials called “defensive strikes” in the Strait of Hormuz. Talks ongoing Trump told reporters several times on Friday that his administration was talking to representatives of Tehran “We are dealing with them now. “Only those who seek to prolong the war want to reach an agreement,” the US president said. “Promoting such false claims only serves those who seek to prolong the war and destabilize the region,” Majed al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, said in a post on X. Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said during a public interview at Oxford University on Friday that mediation efforts remain active to prevent a major regional escalation, warning that the crisis “Cannot be left unresolved.” Speaking at the university event, the prime minister stated that “over the past two weeks, we have been working with colleagues in the US administration who have very genuine intentions to find a way to contain the situation and de-escalate it.” control.” since Trump’s Republican Party took a blow in Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections. Trump blamed the election results on the war with Iran. Since Tuesday’s midterm elections, Trump has oscillated between threatening Iran and suggesting that a resolution to the war is near. On Thursday, Trump said the U.S. may have to “destroy” the rest of Iran, adding that people will “know very soon” if he acts. Anonymous Pentagon officials and Military commanders told the New York Times on Wednesday that thousands of US air and naval forces on more than a dozen ships and at bases around the Middle East and in the United States are prepared to resume major combat operations against Iran on Trump’s orders. Tehran has stepped up its diplomatic efforts amid suggestions from Trump that the United States could resume large-scale attacks on Iran.
