US strikes Iran's Qeshm Island, reports say

The US military conducted a strike on Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday, according to media reports citing American officials. The attack, initially reported by The Wall Street Journal, occurred following Iranian state media reports of several explosions on the island, located in the Strait of Hormuz. This latest strike is part of a series of limited operations carried out by Washington in recent weeks, as noted by the Journal.

The strikes have been executed on a smaller scale and kept covert to avoid signaling any intent to resume a major military campaign against Iran. Other sources described the attack as a defensive measure in response to Iran's strikes on US assets. Central Command of the US military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The news of the strikes led to a rise in oil prices in early Asian trade, raising concerns about an escalation of the conflict and potential prolonged disruptions to Middle East oil supplies. Brent crude futures increased by 0.5 percent to $105.25 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude rose by 0.5 percent to $96.93 a barrel.

Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump expressed doubts about pursuing further military strikes against Iran, stating that a deal with Tehran was possible. When asked if he was considering an attack after the upcoming midterm elections, Trump responded that he was not, noting that "we had a war with Iran. We won." He added, "I don’t know if you even call it a war because we haven’t been doing any fighting for months." The ongoing tension between Washington and Tehran has been ongoing since February 28.