US strikes Iran's Qeshm Island after the IRGC fires missiles at an American aircraft on the eve of the midterms
Donald Trump, pictured with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, whose notably different tones on Iran — Vance voicing optimism over a diplomatic deal — emerged as polls opened on the midterms.Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian state media reported overnight explosions confirming the US strikes, just hours before midterm polls opened.
The "defensive" strikes hit Qeshm Island — home to a subterranean missile facility, a naval base and a large desalination plant — after the IRGC fired surface-to-air missiles at a US aircraft. Officials characterised the action as limited and insisted it did not signal a return to full-scale hostilities, with a third carrier group still en route to the region. Trump told Fox News Iran wanted a deal "very badly" and that the US had destroyed 159 of its ships.
The war has cost US taxpayers at least $47.1 billion over nine months, cratering Republican polling ahead of Tuesday's vote.
Trump warned Iran it would get 'the hammer' if talks fail, saying Pickaxe Mountain — a suspected nuclear site — could be struck 'in literally one hour'.
Iranian negotiators convened in Doha with Qatari mediators on Sunday for the third straight day of negotiations, though a senior Iranian official said the two sides remain far apart.
