BusinessDay reported that U.S. forces struck Iran’s Qeshm Island after an attack on a U.S. aircraft, as President Donald Trump faced calls from some Republicans to end the war before Tuesday’s midterms.
The outlet cited unnamed U.S. officials who blamed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for the aircraft attack. CBS News said three U.S. officials confirmed American attacks on sites in Iran near the Strait of Hormuz. CBS described those strikes as limited and defensive, as EconoTimes reported earlier.
IRNA, Iran’s state news agency, reported several explosions on Qeshm Monday. BusinessDay also said Trump’s approval had fallen and some Republicans were urging him to end the conflict.
Trump told Axios on Monday that the military campaign had damaged Iran’s finances and said he was in “no rush” to escalate. On Fox News, Trump said Pickaxe was a possible target for U.S. forces. BusinessDay identified Pickaxe as a site tied to Iran’s nuclear program; Trump called a possible operation “not a big deal” and said it could take one hour.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told IRNA that Tehran and Washington were holding intense discussions through intermediaries to end the war. He said Iran was ready for diplomatic or military scenarios and urged Washington to choose negotiation over military action.
BusinessDay traced the conflict to U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran in February and said the fighting affects regional security and international energy markets. The outlet reported that shifting control of Congress could weaken political backing for Trump’s military and foreign policy agenda. Trump rejected suggestions that his administration was delaying military action until after the election, BusinessDay reported. The Nov. 3 vote will determine which party controls Congress.
