Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Nov 3: The United States has attacked Iran's strategic Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials, amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement between Washington and Tehran.
The attacks were carried out on Monday (local time) and marked the latest in a series of limited strikes that Washington has secretly conducted against Iran in recent weeks, even as US President Donald Trump spoke about the possibility of a diplomatic agreement, the report said.
According to the report, the United States has been carrying out smaller-scale strikes against Iran for several weeks. Explosions were also reported on social media around Qeshm Island on Monday.
Some US officials described the attacks as defensive operations intended to prevent Iran from freely targeting commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Xinhua news agency reported.
Unlike earlier stages of the conflict, Washington has not publicly announced the latest attacks. A US official was quoted as saying that the administration had deliberately kept the campaign under wraps to avoid signalling any intention of resuming major combat operations.
Trump said he was "in no rush" to decide whether to resume military action against Iran.
"One way or the other, we will do something, but there is no rush. We crippled them financially. They have no money, no gasoline, and their people are getting very tired of it," he said in a phone interview with Axios on Monday.
According to Axios, the US midterm elections are emerging as a significant factor in Trump's decision on whether to launch a major bombing campaign against Iran in an attempt to bring the conflict to an end.
The report said the US President appeared to be pursuing two tracks simultaneously, allowing diplomatic efforts to continue while preparing to resume military operations if he concludes that an agreement is beyond reach.
Trump also claimed that oil prices were falling sharply amid expectations of a possible settlement with Iran.
"Oil Prices are dropping like a rock, down almost 10 US dollars a barrel, a record, because people feel that there will not be a war with Iran. Iran wants a settlement as soon as possible. It could happen," he wrote in a post on Truth Social on Monday.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have warned that any fresh attack on the country would invite an unrestrained response.
However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has indicated that Tehran remains willing to continue negotiations, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.