The U.S. military reportedly carried out a series of previously undisclosed military strikes against Iran in recent weeks, including a strike on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, November 2.
The Wall Street Journal first revealed the strikes in a report citing U.S. officials who described a campaign of limited military operations that the Trump administration had avoided publicizing.
At sea (Mar. 1, 2007) – Capt. Craig “Animal” Williams (front) in a F/A 18C Hornet (front) and Capt. Richard “Rhett” Butler (back) in an F/A 18C Hornet look up for a photo as they fly over USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Capt. Williams, a 22-year Naval Aviator who graduated from the United States Naval Academy, was relieved as Commander, Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14) by 21-year Naval Aviator, Capt. Butler, a graduate of the University of Kentucky during an aerial change of command ceremony. The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is currently underway in the Pacific Ocean on a surge deployment in support of U.S. military operations in the Western Pacific. Official U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr. Tam Pham
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A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet pulls away from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker from Kadena Air Base after refueling over the Pacific Jan. 3, 2024. Conducting joint operations enhances the lethality and readiness of U.S. forces and its ability to project superior airpower to the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cedriue Oldaker)
The latest attack on Qeshm Island was retaliatory in nature, however, coming after Iran launched missiles against American aircraft and continued its attacks on commercial shipping.
The news came the night before the pivotal November 3 midterm elections, with voters heading to the polls to determine which party will control Congress for the remainder of President Trump’s time in the White House.
On Monday, the president insisted to reporters that the United States had already won the war with Iran and had not engaged in any fighting for months.
What the U.S. Hit
According to reports published early on Tuesday morning, American officials confirmed the U.S. military had attacked several positions on Qeshm Island.
One official also described the operation as a direct response to Iranian surface-to-air missile attacks.
The strikes are significant, too, because the island lies close to the Iranian mainland at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz and contains Iranian military facilities and underground missile infrastructure.
It is also reportedly home to Iranian naval installations.
According to the original report by The Wall Street Journal, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired a missile at an American fighter jet on Monday.
The aircraft returned fire.
U.S. forces also reportedly intercepted a separate Iranian missile that is believed to have been fired from the island toward commercial ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
ABC News also confirmed, citing two U.S. officials, that the operation was limited in scope.
After the strikes were revealed, the Pentagon referred questions to U.S. Central Command, which still had not publicly explained the nature of the operation as of early Tuesday.
Iran Says It Shot Down U.S. Drones
Iranian authorities, meanwhile, have said that explosions were reported across the region and that its forces intercepted and destroyed American military drones operating near the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Al Jazeera, reporting on November 3, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported five explosions on Qeshm Island yesterday.
Other Iranian media outlets also reported explosions around Hengam Island and the mainland port city of Bandar Abbas.
Per IRGC statements, Iranian forces shot down American reconnaissance drones near Qeshm and another MQ-9 aircraft farther to the east.
An F-22 Raptor assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., takes off for a training mission during Northern Lightning, a training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 12, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Jana Somero)
The claims, however, have not been independently confirmed, and ABC News reports that a U.S. official has disputed Iran’s claims of shooting down two RQ-170 reconnaissance drones.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has also responded to the recent U.S. attacks, insisting that Iran has a right to defend itself.
Trump Says He Has Won the War
President Donald Trump remains publicly optimistic about the conflict, and even seems to believe that the United States has already won the war.
Speaking on Monday, the president said that Washington has already achieved victory despite the ongoing attacks on commercial shipping and continued strikes against U.S. military assets by Iran.
“We had a war with Iran. We won,” he said.
And, when asked whether he was considering launching new attacks against Iran following the November 3 midterm elections, the president even said “no.” However, the president has continued threatening additional military action if negotiations fail, and has been doing so for weeks.
Analysts also widely expect that the U.S. and Israel could launch new strikes against Iran soon after the elections, with preparations already underway to ensure that the U.S. military is fully prepared for a new round of strikes, and the almost-certain Iranian retaliatory strikes that would come afterward.
In an interview with Fox News in recent days, President Trump contradicted his most recent suggestion that he would not launch new strikes, suggesting that he may launch an attack on Pickaxe Mountain, the underground nuclear site buried beneath 100 meters of rock.
U.S. Military Prepares for Larger Strikes
The U.S. military appears to be preparing for a much larger operation against Iran, even as Trump says he isn’t considering it.
According to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper briefed President Trump at the White House last week on his military options, and the Pentagon reportedly also deployed additional missile defenses and munitions to the region in anticipation of Iranian retaliatory strikes. U.S. forces have also reportedly repositioned some American troops away from the most vulnerable bases in the Middle East.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, and he produces and edits analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
