Iran says prepared to 'respond forcefully' after US launches fresh strikes: Report

The United States executed defensive airstrikes on Iran's Qeshm Island located in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a US official. The strikes, previously reported by the Wall Street Journal, were reportedly limited and not indicative of a resurgence in major combat operations, the official added, under the condition of anonymity. A second source revealed that the strikes were defensive actions aimed at countering Iranian surface-to-air missile attacks against US assets.

The Pentagon forwarded a request for comment to the US Central Command, which manages American forces in the Middle East, but did not provide an immediate response. Earlier, Iranian state media outlet IRNA reported the occurrence of several explosions on Qeshm Island. The Wall Street Journal stated that this attack marked the latest in a series of strikes launched by Washington in recent weeks.

Fox News, quoting officials, confirmed that the strikes were defensive in nature and were conducted in response to Iran targeting a US aircraft. In recent weeks, President Donald Trump had indicated a possible resumption of attacks on Iran following the US midterm elections; however, after a speech at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, he seemed to reconsider this notion.