The newspaper, citing US officials, reported that the strike on Qeshm Island—the largest island in the Strait of Hormuz—was part of a series of limited, covert attacks Washington has carried out against Tehran in recent weeks. According to the officials, the attacks are “defensive in nature” and are intended to pressure Tehran to stop targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed since February 28, when the war began.
Meanwhile, Iran’s official news agency, IRNA, confirmed that five consecutive explosions were heard on the island. Residents of the area also said they saw two fighter jets flying over the island at the time of the explosions.
The US newspaper also reported that Washington has not officially claimed responsibility for the attacks in order to avoid sending a message that it is preparing to resume a broader military operation. The developments come as Trump had said ahead of the congressional midterm elections that an agreement with Iran was close. As a result of that optimism, oil prices in global markets fell by more than 7%.
