US media: US military strikes Iran’s Qeshm Island on the eve of midterm elections, Trump downplays risk of war

China News Service, November 3. According to the US "Wall Street Journal", US officials stated that the US military attacked Iran's Qeshm Island on the 2nd local time, saying that the operation was aimed at preventing Iran from attacking merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

On February 20, local time, in Washington, U.S. President Trump held a press conference at the White House on the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling. Photo by China News Service reporter Chen Mengtong

According to reports, the US military has secretly carried out a series of limited strikes against Iran in recent weeks, and this is the latest strike. At the same time, US President Trump released the possibility of reaching a diplomatic agreement. Trump said on the 2nd that the United States had "won the war with Iran" and said "we have not had combat operations for several months."

But multiple officials said the U.S. military has been carrying out small-scale strikes against Iran in recent weeks. Some officials said such strikes were defensive in nature and aimed at limiting Iran's attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

An official said that the United States deliberately promoted this series of actions in a low-key manner to avoid sending a signal that it would restart large-scale operations.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bagaei said on the 2nd that "the initiative lies in the hands of the United States" whether an agreement to end the conflict can be reached.

Trump has been saying for weeks that the United States might restart an all-out war with Iran after the midterm elections. However, hours before the first round of in-person voting in the midterm elections began, Trump softened his stance. He and Vice President Vance said that there is a possibility of success in the continued negotiations to dismantle Iran's nuclear program; Trump also posted on social media that oil prices are falling because "the market believes" that there will not be another war between the United States and Iran.