US carries out defensive strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island as Vance expresses hope for negotiated settlement

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD: The United States carried out what officials described as defensive strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz, even as Vice President JD Vance voiced optimism about reaching a negotiated settlement with Tehran, highlighting the conflicting military and diplomatic signals emerging from the Trump administration.

The strikes took place on Monday and were limited in scope, according to US officials cited by Reuters and The Wall Street Journal. One official told Reuters that the operation did not represent a resumption of major combat operations, while another said it was intended to counter Iranian forces using surface-to-air missiles against US assets.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the strikes, saying Washington had conducted limited attacks against Iran in recent weeks. An unnamed US official told the newspaper that the campaign had deliberately been kept low-profile to avoid signalling an intention to escalate into a major conflict.

Iranian state news agency IRNA also reported several explosions on Qeshm Island earlier on Monday. Fox News, citing officials, also reported that the US strikes were defensive and followed Iranian fire targeting an American aircraft.

The Pentagon referred requests for comment to US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East. CENTCOM did not respond to requests for comment, Reuters reported.

The military action came as Vance told CNN that he and President Donald Trump remained hopeful of resolving the conflict through diplomacy, although he cautioned that Tehran remained unpredictable and Washington retained other options.

“The president and I both feel really good about the prospect of potentially coming to a negotiated settlement,” Vance said.

He described the Iranians as “unpredictable” and said Trump retained both “kinetic and non-kinetic” options against Tehran. Vance also said the administration had not established a deadline for reaching a peace agreement.

His remarks followed repeated efforts by senior US officials to play down the possibility of an all-out war, while maintaining that Washington was prepared to use military force if necessary.

Qeshm Island near strategic Strait of Hormuz

Qeshm, the largest island in the Persian Gulf, lies off Iran’s southern coast near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments.

The island has emerged as a potential target in the conflict amid reports that Iran maintains anti-ship missiles, mines, drones and attack craft in underground tunnels there.

The latest strikes were described by US officials as defensive measures rather than a return to large-scale combat. However, their reported occurrence alongside diplomatic statements from Washington underscores the continuing uncertainty surrounding the prospects for de-escalation.

Reuters reported that one US official said the strikes were directed against Iranian use of surface-to-air missiles against American assets. The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, said the operation was part of a series of limited US attacks carried out in recent weeks.

The reports did not provide details about the extent of damage, specific targets hit or possible casualties on Qeshm Island.

Trump maintains Iran must not acquire nuclear weapon

Earlier on Monday, Trump reiterated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon was the reason the United States had gone to war with the country.

“We’re not going to allow Iran ever to have a nuclear weapon. And they understand that,” Trump said, according to remarks published by the White House.

The president’s comments reinforced Washington’s stated position that Iran’s nuclear programme remains a central concern in the conflict, even as his administration signals a preference for a diplomatic outcome.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also said on November 1 that Trump wanted to resolve the conflict diplomatically and preferred not to resort to military force, according to CNBC.

The latest developments have therefore presented two parallel tracks in the US approach: continued military action described by officials as defensive, alongside efforts to secure an agreement with Tehran.

Uncertainty over next steps

The strikes also come amid uncertainty over whether Washington intends to intensify military pressure on Iran after the US midterm elections scheduled for Tuesday.

In recent weeks, Trump had hinted at the possibility of renewed attacks following the vote. However, after delivering a speech at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday, he appeared to suggest that he might be reconsidering his position, Reuters reported.

Neither the US officials cited by Reuters nor the reports from The Wall Street Journal provided an indication that Monday’s operation marked the beginning of a broader offensive.

Vance’s comments similarly stopped short of announcing a diplomatic breakthrough, with the vice president expressing optimism but acknowledging that negotiations remained uncertain.

The administration has not announced a deadline for an agreement, while its warnings that military options remain available suggest that Washington is seeking to maintain pressure on Tehran as diplomatic efforts continue.

With Qeshm Island located close to the Strait of Hormuz and the latest strikes adding to tensions in the region, the balance between military deterrence and negotiations is likely to remain central to the US-Iran standoff.