US strikes Iran’s Qeshm island on eve of midterm elections

The United States on Monday attacked Iran’s Qeshm Island, the Wall Street Journal reported, even as President Donald Trump signaled progress in negotiations with Tehran to end the eight-month-old war, on the eve of crucial midterm elections.

The Journal, citing unnamed US officials, described the strike against Qeshm, the largest island in the Strait of Hormuz, as the latest of a series of limited strikes Washington has secretly carried out against Iran in recent weeks.

A US official, who wasn’t authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that “Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against US assets” had been targeted.

The strikes appeared to be limited as opposed to a return to full hostilities but followed President Donald Trump previously saying the US would not launch new strikes on Iran before Tuesday’s midterms.

The Wall Street Journal said the US has not publicly announced the attacks, so as not to signal any intention of resuming major combat operations.

On Monday, ahead of the midterms, Trump said that a deal with Tehran “could happen.”

Oil prices, sent rocketing by Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz energy corridor, plunged by more than 7% on Monday on optimism over a possible end to the conflict.