QESHM, November 3, 2026 —
The U.S. military conducted limited defensive strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday, three U.S. officials told CNN, characterizing the action as a response to Iranian forces firing surface-to-air missiles at an American aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes, described as self-defense and not a resumption of major combat operations, targeted what officials called Iranian launcher positions on the island. Iranian state media reported multiple explosions across Qeshm Island, Hengam Island, and near Bandar Abbas following the attack.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point of the ongoing conflict. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated Tehran reserves the right to defend itself after the strikes, while Iranian state-affiliated Fars News Agency reported explosions were also heard in the nearby port city of Bandar Abbas. Qeshm Island, located about 14 miles from Bandar Abbas, sits near the strategic waterway through which approximately 20 million barrels of oil passed daily before the conflict escalated in February 2026.
Oil markets reacted to the developments. West Texas Intermediate crude gained $1.60 to $98.06 a barrel, reflecting concerns over risks to energy supplies amid the heightened tensions in the region.
President Donald Trump described the incident as a minor attack rather than a return to all-out war, telling reporters the situation does not constitute war. Vice President JD Vance, who sent a letter to Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei last week focused on assisting Iran with medical supplies, expressed optimism that a negotiated settlement remains possible. The U.S. and Iran have been in a state of war since February 2026, following a series of air strikes that began when the U.S. and Israel conducted hundreds of air strikes on targets across Iran.
Iranian state media and officials, including the IRGC, claimed they shot down two U.S. reconnaissance drones over Qeshm Island on Monday, though it remains unclear whether that incident is directly related to the U.S. strikes. The IRGC Navy also reported three oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday after entering unauthorized shipping lanes with their navigation and identification systems switched off.
Sources
- U.S. military carries out limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, U.S. officials say
- US military conducts strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in defensive operation, officials say | CNN Politics
- US military conducts strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in defensive operation, officials say | CNN Politics
- US carries out 'defensive' strikes on Qeshm Island after Iran downs drone | The Jerusalem Post
- Explosions hit Iran’s Qeshm Island as US media report US strikes in Hormuz
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (Public domain)
