The United States carried out what an American official described as limited defensive strikes on Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz after surface-to-air missiles were used against US assets. Explosions were reported on Qeshm Island, but the action stopped short of the broader bombardment President Donald Trump had repeatedly threatened.
The timing, one day before the US midterm elections, was politically sensitive because Trump had said he would not order new attacks before the vote. Vice President JD Vance nevertheless said the administration saw reasonable prospects for a negotiated settlement, showing that military pressure and diplomacy were proceeding simultaneously.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Trump during a weekend call to approve another wave of strikes after the elections, according to officials briefed on the discussion. Trump did not commit, and several regional governments warned Washington that renewed large-scale attacks could destabilise the Gulf and undermine mediation.
Iran offered to reopen Hormuz and resume nuclear negotiations within two days if the United States met its conditions. The proposal includes lifting the blockade of Iranian ports, easing sanctions on oil sales, agreeing to a ceasefire that covers Lebanon and accepting a shipping route coordinated by Iran and Oman.
Maritime risk remained immediate. A vessel crossing the strait was struck by an unknown projectile that opened a hole in its hull, although all crew members were safe. Iran has claimed attacks on ships using unauthorised routes, while the US military disputes Tehran's assertions about mines in internationally recognised channels.
The confrontation also continued through Yemen. Houthi authorities accused Saudi Arabia of attacking a Red Sea port and reported civilian deaths, while the Saudi-backed Yemeni government blamed Houthi missiles for strikes on a medical centre and market. The competing claims could not all be independently verified.
China plans to send an envoy to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia as it seeks to protect regional stability and energy flows. The central diplomatic test is whether a narrow navigation arrangement can be separated from sanctions, nuclear issues and allied conflicts. Without that sequencing, each limited strike risks reopening a much wider war.
