US forces hit Iran's Qeshm Island as part of a series of secret strikes: report
US forces reportedly launched a secret attack on Iran’s Qeshm Island Monday, the latest in a series of small-scale strikes aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz. The assault was one of several the US secretly carried out against Iran in recent weeks, which have been described by US officials as defensive in nature, according to the Wall Street Journal . The US reportedly conducted a strike on Qeshm Island. Peter Hermes Furian – stock.adobe.com Monday’s target, Qeshm Island, has been used by the Iranian regime to store ballistic missiles.
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The Post never says what the strike hit. Other outlets reported, citing a US official, that a US fighter jet destroyed a surface-to-air missile launcher after the IRGC fired an anti-aircraft missile. Without this, and with the unsourced line on ballistic missile storage, a reader believes the strike targeted ballistic missile stores.
How we know
- Arutz Sheva / Israel National News reported“the strike was carried out in self-defense after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired an anti-aircraft missile from the launcher”Report: US hit Iran's Qeshm Island as part of secret strikes campaign (opens in a new tab)
- Al Jazeera English reported“Reporters with Fox News and Axios said the attacks were in response to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) firing at a US aircraft”Explosions hit Iran’s Qeshm Island as US media report US strikes in Hormuz (opens in a new tab)
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The Post gives only the US account of the strike. It leaves out Iranian media reports of five explosions and aircraft overhead, the IRGC's statement that it downed two US drones south of Qeshm, and that Iran had not commented publicly.
How we know
- Antiwar.com reported“Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said that its forces brought down two US MQM-170 drones south of Qeshm using electronic warfare”US Strikes Iran’s Qeshm Island: Wall Street Journal (opens in a new tab)
It is also the site of a naval base and a desalination plant. The island, located at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, has been repeatedly targeted by US forces since the start of the war with Iran. The wave of recent strikes has been kept under wraps so as not to signal an intention of resuming major combat operations, a US official told the Journal. Explore More Two children among 5 rescued after being stranded in Pacific Ocean for three months: officials Study claims long-held theory of origin of life on earth could be completely wrong Toronto home invasion suspect wounded during break-in was allowed to walk free from hospital: cops President Trump has signaled that the eight-month war will both escalate and end soon after Tuesday’s midterm elections.
“The only reason we are not finished with Iran is because I want to be nice,” Trump told a crowd at a campaign rally in Iowa Sunday night. “I want to try and save all those lives if I can. But at some point, we’re going to have to give them the hammer,” he added. “It’s going to be over very soon. Very soon.” Earlier Monday, Trump gave a one-word answer when asked whether he would resume attacks on Iran after the midterms. Aerial view of Qeshm, an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Olga Maria Toli – stock.adobe.com “No,” the president told reporters after giving a speech at the Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC. “We had a war with Iran. We won,” Trump said in his remarks. “I don’t know if you even call it a war because we haven’t been doing any fighting for months, you know. We control the Strait of Hormuz.” The attack on Qeshm Island comes as US and Iranian negotiators are pushing for a peace deal. “Consultations through mediators are very intensive,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said after his team departed Qatar on Sunday.
“We have presented our conditions and proposals and everything depends on the political rationality of Washington,” he added. US Central Command did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment. This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
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