According to Iran’s state-owned IRNA news agency, the explosions occurred in rapid succession late on Monday. Witnesses told the agency that they had seen two aircraft flying over Qeshm Island, which lies off Iran’s southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency also reported explosions in the port city of Bandar Lengeh, saying the blasts appeared to come from the direction of the sea.
The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that the American military had carried out the strikes. According to the officials, the operation was defensive and aimed at limiting Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
One US official told the newspaper that Washington had deliberately kept the military campaign quiet to avoid signalling a return to major combat operations.
The Associated Press also quoted a US official confirming that American forces had conducted defensive strikes against Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz. The official said the targets included “Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against US assets”.
Reporters from Fox News and Axios said the attacks were launched in response to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) firing at a US aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
Citing a US official, Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin said the incident did not represent “the start of expanded strikes by the US”.
There was no immediate comment from authorities in either Iran or the United States.
The reports of military action also triggered concerns over energy supplies. Oil prices rose by more than $1 early on Tuesday amid fears that escalating tensions could threaten energy shipments through the region.
US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $1.60 to $98.06 a barrel, while Brent crude futures increased $1.84 to $106.61 a barrel by 07:44 GMT.
Earlier on Monday, the IRGC claimed that it had captured two US drones south of Qeshm Island using electronic warfare systems. The force described the aircraft as reconnaissance drones. It also claimed to have destroyed an MQ-9 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz.
The reported US strikes came on the eve of crucial midterm elections in the United States, with President Donald Trump’s Republican Party fighting to retain control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The military developments also unfolded as diplomatic efforts intensified to prevent another round of US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
Trump indicated that an agreement with Tehran could be reached soon in a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday.
“Oil Prices are dropping like a rock, down almost $10 a Barrel, a record, because people feel that there will not be a War with Iran,” he wrote. “Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible. It could happen!”
Earlier, when reporters asked whether he was considering striking Iran after Tuesday’s midterm elections, Trump responded, “no”.
US Vice President JD Vance also expressed optimism about the ongoing negotiations before reports of the latest strikes emerged. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Vance said he had discussed the negotiations with Trump earlier in the day.
“We’ve had a number of good conversations with the Iranians,” he said when asked about a letter he had sent last week to Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei.
“The president and I both feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement. We’re going to keep on working at it,” Vance added.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had clearly communicated its demands for peace to Washington, adding that “the ball is in the US court”.
Baghaei said Iran’s proposed plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz had been condensed and could be implemented within two days if Washington accepted Tehran’s conditions.
The conditions included the lifting of the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and guarantees to end hostilities. According to the proposal, these steps would pave the way for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming negotiations.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, tensions over the possibility of renewed military action remained. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also been pressing for another wave of strikes against Iran after the US midterm elections, the Associated Press reported, citing two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter.
The reported explosions near Qeshm Island and the US military action in the Strait of Hormuz have added another layer of uncertainty to the already delicate situation, as Washington and Tehran continue diplomatic efforts while facing growing concerns over regional security and the stability of energy supplies.
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