U.S. Conducts ‘Defensive’ Strikes on Iranian Targets in Strait of Hormuz
The United States carried out limited strikes against Iranian military targets on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after Iranian forces reportedly launched a surface-to-air missile at an American aircraft, U.S. officials confirmed.
American officials characterized the strikes as defensive rather than the start of a broader military offensive, as President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching an agreement with Tehran despite mounting preparations for a potentially larger confrontation.
A U.S. official told CNN that the operation was a “defensive measure for Iranians using surface to air missiles against US assets.”
Senior official tells me this was in response to Iran firing at a US aircraft Monday; not the start of new expanded strikes by the US.
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) November 3, 2026
According to Axios reporter Barak Ravid, a U.S. official said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired a missile at an American aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, prompting a U.S. fighter jet to destroy the surface-to-air missile launcher on Qeshm Island.
The limited nature of the response was further emphasized by Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin, who cited a senior official saying the operation was “not the start of new expanded strikes by the US.”
US carried out a strike on Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday, US media reports, citing US officials.
It has carried out limited “defensive” measures in recent weeks, aimed at preventing attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
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— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) November 3, 2026
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