US officials described the strikes as “defensive actions to prevent Iranian threats or attacks against commercial shipping routes”, according to the newspaper.<\/p>\n
The bombing, on the eve of the US midterm elections, was part of a series of limited strikes Washington has carried out against Iran in recent weeks, US officials told the Wall Street Journal on condition of anonymity. According to one of them, the US military is trying to keep the strikes secret to avoid suggesting that the United States is considering resuming large-scale military operations.<\/p>\n
Iran’s official news agency IRNA had earlier reported hearing five explosions on Qeshm island and said residents had seen two aircraft in the sky.<\/p>\n
When AFP asked for comment, the Pentagon referred the agency to US Central Command (Centcom), which did not respond immediately.<\/p>\n
“Iran wants a deal, as quickly as possible. It could happen!” the US president wrote on Monday on his Truth Social platform.<\/p>\n
Since the war began, with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February, Tehran has blockaded the Strait of Hormuz and regularly targeted ships attempting to pass through without its authorisation.<\/p>\n
Although military tensions have eased since September, the United States and Israel have stepped up their threats in recent days amid Donald Trump’s difficult midterm elections on Tuesday and post-election uncertainty in Israel.<\/p>\n