Trump said the U.S. carried out minor strikes on Iran after reports of two missiles striking Qeshm Island, but did not explicitly confirm he was referring to those strikes.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that the U.S. carried out “minor strikes” on Iran, amid reports that two missiles struck Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that two missiles struck the island on Friday, according to Reuters. Tasnim said there was no official information on damage, Reuters added. Iranian state media reported two blasts in the Suza area of Qeshm Island, which lies in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for oil shipments.
State broadcaster IRIB reported an Iranian army statement saying that the country’s air defence forces intercepted and destroyed an American MQ-9 drone over Qeshm island.
Speaking to reporters Friday evening after landing in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said: “I don’t want to talk about it.”
He added: “We do minor strikes, but they knock out. They built a little bit of an anti-aircraft device, and we knocked it out in about 15 minutes, maybe five.” He did not explicitly confirm that he was referring to the reported strikes on Qeshm.
Trump also said: “We’re dealing with them now. They want to make a deal,” and “We’ve made a lot of progress with Iran,” without providing details.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, said the situation is “relatively calm.” A CENTCOM official told Al Jazeera that they were aware of the reports, adding they had no further comment.
CENTCOM announced in a post on X late on Friday that the US “is offering a reward of up to $20 million and possible relocation for information about Iran’s nuclear program, including its facilities, equipment, and associated personnel, such as those in the scientific community, or the movement of any of the above”.
The U.S. struck the same island Monday, in what a U.S. official told MS Now was a “defensive measure.”
Friday’s strikes are the first since Tuesday’s midterm elections, after analysts and regional officials had debated whether the vote would lead Trump toward further escalation or renewed diplomacy. Qatar dismissed reports claiming negotiations between the US and Iran have failed, warning that such claims benefit “only those seeking to prolong the war.”
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
The day's checked news, by email
One short email a day with the top stories. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
Or follow for the latest news:
No comments yet. Start the discussion.
A fresh wave of bomb threats hit European flights and media organizations on Friday, following similar incidents earlier in the week. No explosives were found, and authorities have not identified who is responsible.
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early Sunday, injuring at least 22 people and disrupting Shinkansen bullet train service, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency and local media.
