A US official, who wasn’t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the US conducted defensive strikes on some Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz. “Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against US assets” were targeted, he said Monday. Iranian state television reported that explosions were heard on Qeshm Island. The strikes, which appeared to be limited as opposed to a full return to hostilities, came on the eve of crucial American midterm elections. US President Donald Trump has previously said the US wouldn’t launch strikes on Iran before the midterms. The unpopular Iran war and the resulting impact on US gasoline prices and other parts of the economy have been a vulnerability for Republicans as they try to keep control of Congress. Vice President JD Vance told reporters earlier Monday that he just spoke to Trump about talks with Iran and said that “the president and I both feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement.”
