United States conducts strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island

The United States attacked Iranian military targets on Qeshm Island on Monday. The island sits in the Strait of Hormuz and is the largest island in the Persian Gulf. Iranian state media reported five explosions. A US official said the strikes were defensive, because Iran had used surface-to-air missiles against US assets. Reports say the island holds anti-ship missiles, mines, and drones in underground tunnels. The attack was the first publicly known US strike on Iran in several weeks. It happened just hours after Vice President JD Vance and President Trump said they were hopeful about a peace deal. Trump had posted on social media that Iran wanted to reach a settlement soon. The strikes also took place the day before US midterm elections.