Strikes Near Strait of Hormuz Hours Before Tuesday Midterms Raise Questions on Iran

What the strike targeted

Iranian state media said explosions were heard on Qeshm and Hengam islands, as well as in Bandar Abbas on the mainland. A U.S. official said the strike targeted Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against U.S. forces in the strait.

The official spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to comment publicly. The attack came after the Trump administration’s last known strikes, carried out in early September.

Negotiations and competing demands

Talks are continuing as U.S. allies in the region urge Washington not to restart full-scale operations. The war, which has lasted more than eight months, has shaken the global economy and caused major disruption in Iran.

Iran has offered to reopen the strait and resume nuclear talks if the United States lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waives sanctions on Iranian oil sales and observes a ceasefire that includes Lebanon. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council head, Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, said Tuesday that the waterway would remain closed until Washington addressed Tehran’s conditions.

Two regional officials said mediators were working on a framework for Iran to stop attacks in the strait in exchange for the U.S. ending its blockade. The officials said diplomatic efforts had made progress.

Pressure for further action

President Donald Trump has alternated between threatening major attacks and pursuing a deal, and has said he was considering another wave of strikes after the elections. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Trump to renew military action during a weekend call, according to two regional officials and another person briefed on it.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi urged Iran and the United States to negotiate, warning against further escalation. The war and its effects on U.S. gasoline prices and the wider economy have also posed a political vulnerability for Republicans seeking to keep control of Congress.

Views from Tehran

Some Tehran residents hoped the midterm elections could lead to a change in U.S. policy. Reza Rezaei, 69, called on Americans to make a fundamental choice and criticized Trump’s leadership and support for Israel.

Raheleh Movahhed said the outcome of the election would make little difference to relations with Iran. She distinguished between U.S. policies and the American people.