US hits Iranian targets in Strait of Hormuz before midterms

United States military strikes hit Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. The attacks occurred hours before the midterm elections took place in the United States. Iranian state media reported explosions on the islands of Qeshm and Hengam. Reports also placed blasts in the mainland area near Bandar Abbas. These locations sit in the narrow waterway that carries a large share of global oil traffic.

A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not cleared for public release, explained the military logic. The strikes targeted Iranian forces that were using surface-to-air missiles against the United States in the strait. This action marks the first time the U.S. has resumed full-scale operations against Iran in nearly two months. The conflict has been ongoing for more than eight months and has shaken the global economy.

President Donald Trump had publicly stated for weeks that he was considering a new wave of strikes after the elections. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed Trump for renewed military action during a call over the weekend. Two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter said Netanyahu made the case for immediate action. Those officials also noted that diplomatic efforts have made progress. Mediators are working to advance a framework where Iran stops attacking ships in the strait in exchange for the U.S. lifting its naval blockade.

The naval blockade remains in place, with thousands of U.S. troops stationed in waters off Iran. Their goal is to stop tankers carrying Iranian oil from reaching the global market. Another aircraft carrier and thousands of additional troops are currently on their way to the Middle East. The impact of the war on U.S. gasoline prices has become a political issue. It has served as a vulnerability for the Republican Party as it seeks to maintain control of Congress.

Iranian leadership responded to the strikes on Tuesday. Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, wrote on social media that the strait would not reopen until the U.S. addresses Iran’s conditions. He stated that the U.S. response to Tehran’s demands to end the war was not convincing. Iran has offered to reopen the strait and resume talks on its nuclear program. In return, it wants the U.S. to lift the naval blockade, waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, and observe a ceasefire that includes Lebanon.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance offered a different tone during a speech on Monday. He said he and President Trump both feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement. This comment came before the U.S. official confirmed the strikes. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has also called for dialogue, warning against further military escalation in the region.

In Tehran, residents watched the U.S. elections with mixed feelings. Reza Rezaei, 69, said the American people need to make a fundamental decision. He called for an end to leadership that he described as extreme and supportive of Israel. Raheleh Movahhed expressed less optimism, stating that the American government and its policies have always had a problem with Iran, regardless of who holds power.

Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said on Tuesday that Iran delivered a firm and rational response to the American side. He said the ball is now in America’s court to prevent war. Qalifaf warned that Iran’s armed forces are at the highest level of defensive readiness. He told Washington that if it makes another strategic miscalculation, it will face a new battlefield and find itself even more desperate than it is today.