US launches ‘defensive’ strikes on Iran amid peace talks

• The US carried out limited defensive strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island, citing threats to its forces and commercial shipping

• Trump and Vance expressed optimism about a peace deal, while Iran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if Washington lifted its naval blockade and ended hostilities

• Netanyahu has reportedly urged Trump to launch further strikes after the US midterm elections, raising concerns over renewed conflict

The United States has carried out limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, with US officials describing the operation as defensive even as Washington and Tehran continue diplomatic efforts to prevent a return to full-scale hostilities.

Several explosions were heard on Qeshm Island late on Monday, according to Iran's state-owned IRNA news agency. Witnesses reported seeing two aircraft flying over the island, while further blasts were reported in the coastal port city of Bandar Lengeh.

US officials confirmed that American forces had carried out strikes against Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Associated Press, the operation targeted Iranian forces using surface-to-air missiles against US assets.

Reuters also reported that the strikes were limited and did not signal a resumption of major combat operations. The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, said the attacks were part of a series of smaller-scale operations that Washington had kept largely undisclosed in recent weeks.

One US official said the strikes were intended to restrict Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Fox News and Axios separately reported that the operation followed an Iranian attack on a US aircraft.

The latest military action comes amid heightened tensions over maritime security in the Gulf and competing claims by Washington and Tehran over military operations in the region.

Earlier on Monday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had captured two US reconnaissance drones south of Qeshm Island using electronic warfare systems and destroyed an MQ-9 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz. These claims have not been independently verified.

The strikes also come on the eve of crucial US midterm elections, in which President Donald Trump's Republican Party is seeking to retain control of both chambers of Congress.

Trump has sent mixed signals about the possibility of renewed military action against Iran. In a post on Truth Social on Monday, he suggested that a diplomatic agreement could be imminent, citing falling oil prices as evidence that markets expected the conflict to ease.

"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, adding that Tehran wanted a settlement "as soon as possible".

Asked by reporters whether he was considering striking Iran after Tuesday's midterm elections, Trump replied, "no".

Vice-president J.D. Vance also expressed optimism about negotiations before news of the latest strikes emerged. He said he had discussed the diplomatic efforts with Trump and that both believed there were prospects for a negotiated settlement.

"We've had a number of good conversations with the Iranians," Vance told reporters. "The president and I both feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement."

Iran, meanwhile, has said its conditions for ending hostilities have been communicated to Washington.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said "the ball is in the US court", adding that Tehran's proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz had been streamlined and could be implemented within two days if Washington accepted its conditions.

These include lifting the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and securing an end to hostilities, which would pave the way for reopening the strategic waterway and resuming negotiations.

Diplomatic efforts are continuing through regional intermediaries, with Qatar working on a framework under which Iran would halt attacks in the strait in exchange for the lifting of the US blockade.

However, the prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough remains uncertain. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly urged Trump to authorise another round of strikes against Iran after the US midterm elections, according to the Associated Press, citing regional officials and a person familiar with the matter.

The latest US strikes underscore the fragile balance between military confrontation and diplomacy, as Washington and Tehran weigh the possibility of an agreement while tensions continue around one of the world's most important oil-shipping routes.

With agency inputs