Trump says U.S. has not fought Iran in months before reported Qeshm Island strike

Officials cited shipping security as the operation’s defensive rationale

The U.S. military struck Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday, according to U.S. officials, extending a series of secret, small-scale attacks carried out in recent weeks. The assault followed comments by President Trump playing down the possibility of a return to war with Iran after Tuesday’s midterm elections. Trump said the United States had not been fighting Iran for months, and when reporters asked Monday whether he was considering striking Iran after the midterms, he replied “no,” although administration officials said he was still weighing all his options.

Some officials described the attacks as defensive measures intended to prevent Iran from having the freedom to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Unlike earlier in the war, the United States has not publicly announced the attacks. One official said the administration was purposefully keeping the campaign quiet so as not to signal an intention to resume major combat operations. Explosions around Qeshm Island were reported on social media Monday.

The Defense Department referred questions to U.S. Central Command, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A U.S. official said the administration was consistently addressing threats to American forces in the region.

Qeshm Island sits at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz and is home to a large underground missile site, a naval base and a major desalination plant. The United States had previously targeted the island in earlier rounds of fighting, and officials had discussed seizing it.

Trump toned down his rhetoric in the hours before the first in-person votes. He and Vice President JD Vance said continuing negotiations to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program might work, with Trump also touting the possibility of a diplomatic deal. Asked on Monday whether he was considering striking Iran after the midterms, Trump replied “no,” although administration officials said the president was still weighing all his options. He said, “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.” Trump also said on social media that oil prices were dropping because “people feel” there would not be renewed war with Iran.

For weeks, Trump had said the United States might return to all-out war against Iran after the midterm elections. Senior administration members debated the merits of additional airstrikes and presented Trump with options that included tightening economic sanctions and the blockade on Iranian trade.

Adm. Brad Cooper, the Centcom chief, visited the White House last week to brief Trump on the conflict, The Wall Street Journal reported. Centcom has laid the groundwork for broader strikes, including moving more missile defenses and munitions into the region in recent weeks.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that the United States had told Gulf nations to prepare for a short and intense operation shortly after the election.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran on Monday that “the ball is in the U.S. court” on any prospective deal to end the war. He said, “Our demands have been stated very clearly and transparently, and Iran’s demands are reasonable and logical.” Other Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said Iran would retaliate within and beyond the Middle East if the United States reignited the conflict.