US conducts secret strikes on Iran ahead of midterm elections

US officials confirmed that a secret strike was carried out against an underground missile facility on Qeshm Island, a strategic site in the northern Strait of Hormuz, on the day before the midterm elections. Iranian state media reported five explosions at the location, which also hosts a naval base.

The Pentagon said the limited attack was defensive, aimed at protecting American assets after Iran fired at a US aircraft and launched a surface-to-air missile from the island. American forces intercepted an additional missile that was targeting commercial shipping in the strait.

President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters, said the action was not a full-scale war and described it as a "minor attack." He added that the United States would not pursue a large-scale operation after the elections.

"We had a war with Iran. We won," Trump told reporters. "I don’t know if you even call it a war because we haven’t been doing any fighting for months."

Vice-president JD Vance said the administration was continuing diplomatic outreach, referencing a recent letter to an Iranian security official that outlined a framework for negotiations.

"We’ve had a number of good conversations with the Iranians," Vance told reporters.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the responsibility for ending the conflict lay with the United States, while Iran’s president warned that a renewed war would benefit no one.

"Our demands have been stated very clearly and transparently, and Iran’s demands are reasonable and logical," Baghaei said.

The strikes were not publicly announced by the US, and officials indicated they were kept secret to avoid the appearance of restarting large-scale combat operations. Reports also noted that Israel shared intelligence with the United States regarding potential Iranian use of chemical weapons, though an Israeli spokesman denied involvement in the attacks.