US strikes Iran's Qeshm Island, reports say
The US military struck Iran's <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2023/05/09/tourists-visit-qeshm-island-in-iran-in-pictures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2023/05/09/tourists-visit-qeshm-island-in-iran-in-pictures/">Qeshm Island</a> on Monday, media outlets reported, citing American officials. The strike, first reported by <i>The Wall Street Journal</i>, follows <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/iran" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/iran">Iranian</a> state media reports of several explosions on the island, which is situated on the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/11/02/attacks-on-ships-in-strait-of-hormuz-could-be-higher-than-official-count/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/11/02/attacks-on-ships-in-strait-of-hormuz-could-be-higher-than-official-count/">Strait of Hormuz</a>.
The attack was the latest in a series of limited strikes carried out by Washington in recent weeks, the <i>Journal</i> said. It added that strikes have been carried out on a smaller scale and purposefully kept secret so as not to signal any intent of resuming its major military campaign against <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/iran" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/iran">Iran</a>. Other media outlets described the attack as a defensive measure in response to Iran carrying out strikes on US assets.
Left out here: One side gets the space
The article gives only the US account of why the strike happened. It leaves out that Iran's Revolutionary Guards said earlier that day they had brought down US drones south of Qeshm, and that Iranian officials had not commented on the strike. Iran appears only as the source of reports of explosions.
How we know
- Antiwar.com reported“The blasts came after 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)
- Al Jazeera English reported“There was no immediate comment from authorities in Iran or the US.”Explosions hit Iran’s Qeshm Island as US media report US strikes in Hormuz (opens in a new tab)
US Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Oil prices rose in early Asian trade after the report of the strikes, raising concerns about an escalation of the conflict and prolonged disruptions to Middle East oil supplies. Brent crude futures rose or 0.5 per cent to $105.25 a barrel while West Texas Intermediate crude was also up 0.5 per cent to $96.93 a barrel. Earlier on Monday, President <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/donald-trump/" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/donald-trump/">Donald Trump</a> raised doubts about whether he would follow through on a threatened resumption of military strikes against Iran and said a deal with Tehran could happen.
Asked by reporters if he was considering striking Iran after Tuesday's midterm elections, Mr Trump replied "no". “We had a war with Iran. We won,” Mr Trump told reporters Monday. “I don’t know if you even call it a war because we haven’t been doing any fighting for months.” Washington and Tehran have been at war since February 28.
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