US military conducts strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in defensive operation, officials say

The US military conducted limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday, according to three US officials who spoke with CNN. The military claimed the strikes were defensive in nature and aimed to protect US assets in the region. One official stated that the attack occurred in response to Iran firing at a US aircraft. This operation is not considered a major combat action, and earlier strikes of this type have reportedly been carried out secretly in the past.

The US military's decision to keep the attack under wraps aims to avoid overstating the defensive move. Iran's state-affiliated Fars News Agency reported explosions on Qeshm Island early Tuesday morning, which were also heard on nearby Hengam Island and in the port city of Bandar Abbas. Over the past week, Iran reported targeting several US drones in the region, and its Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have shot down two US reconnaissance drones over Qeshm Island.

Qeshm Island is strategically important to Iran as it controls traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy supplies. The US has previously targeted the island during the ongoing conflict. President Donald Trump suggested that diplomatic negotiations with Tehran could still be possible, while Iran's top diplomat offered to open the Strait of Hormuz within two days if an agreement is reached.

Trump warned that the US would "go after" Pickaxe Mountain, the suspected underground nuclear site, if the situation escalates. The Iranian parliamentary speaker warned that Iran would not surrender to enemy threats and would respond unpredictably to any miscalculation. Iran's Supreme Leader called for a major new attack to be met with a response without geographical limitations.