US strikes Iranian targets in Strait of Hormuz ahead of midterms

The United States launched a limited series of strikes against Iranian military targets in the Strait of Hormuz hours before Tuesday's midterm elections. The attacks hit locations on the islands of Qeshm and Hengam as well as the mainland port of Bandar Abbas. A U.S. official confirmed that the military targeted Iranian units using surface-to-air missiles against American forces in the waterway. The action comes as the two nations continue to trade sharp warnings about the next phase of their conflict.

President Donald Trump has spent weeks indicating he might order a new wave of strikes after the U.S. elections. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Trump to resume military action during a phone call over the weekend. Two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter said Netanyahu pushed for renewed operations. Diplomatic efforts have made progress, with mediators working on a framework for Iran to stop attacks in the strait in exchange for the U.S. lifting its naval blockade.

Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, rejected the U.S. response to Tehran's demands on Tuesday. He wrote on social media that the strait will not reopen until the United States addresses Iran's specific conditions. Tehran has offered to resume talks on its nuclear program and reopen the strait if the U.S. lifts its naval blockade, waives sanctions on oil sales, and observes a ceasefire that includes Lebanon. The U.S. naval blockade aims to prevent tankers carrying Iranian oil from reaching the global market.

Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism about a diplomatic resolution before the U.S. confirmed the strikes. He stated on Monday that he and the president both feel good about the prospects for a negotiated settlement. Back-channel negotiations continue even as Israel and other Middle East allies lobby the White House for stronger military action. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has called on both sides to reach an agreement to avoid further military escalation.

The war has rattled the global economy and impacted U.S. gasoline prices. The conflict has been a vulnerability for the Republican Party as it tries to keep control of Congress. The Trump administration last carried out attacks in early September. Thousands of U.S. troops remain in waters off Iran to maintain the blockade, and another aircraft carrier with additional troops is on its way to the region.

In Tehran, some residents hoped the U.S. elections would shift policy. Reza Rezaei, a 69-year-old man, said the American people need to end the leadership of someone who supports Israel. Raheleh Movahhed, another resident of Tehran, was less optimistic about a change in power. She noted that the American government has always had a problem with Iran regardless of who is in charge.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran's chief negotiator and parliament speaker, told state television 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. Qalibaf warned that Iran's armed forces remain at the highest level of defensive readiness. He stated that if Washington makes another strategic miscalculation, it will face a new battlefield and find itself even more desperate than it is today.