WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Trump said the United States carried out minor strikes on Iran as two missiles reportedly hit Qeshm Island.
  • Trump did not explicitly confirm that the strikes he described were the reported missile impacts on the island.
  • The United States also struck Qeshm Island on Monday in an action a U.S. official described as defensive.
  • Iran said it wants practical American measures, not merely paper commitments, before beginning another phase of diplomatic talks.

President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States carried out “minor strikes” on Iran as reports emerged that two missiles had struck Qeshm Island, a strategically located island near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that the missiles hit the island Friday, according to Reuters. Tasnim had no official information about possible damage from the reported impact, Reuters added.

Qeshm Island sits off Iran’s southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a vital route for oil and gas and has become a flashpoint during the war.

Trump addressed the situation Friday evening while speaking with reporters after landing in West Palm Beach, Florida. Asked about Qeshm Island specifically, the president replied, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

MORE NEWS: U.S. Forces Exit Major Somali Airfield After More Than a Decade

The president did, however, describe limited American attacks against Iranian equipment. His account emphasized the speed with which U.S. forces destroyed the target.

“We do minor strikes, but they knock out. They built a little bit of an anti-aircraft device, and we knocked it out in about 15 minutes, maybe five.”

Trump did not explicitly say whether the military action he described was the same event as the two reported missile strikes on Qeshm Island. That left the precise connection between his remarks and the Tasnim report unconfirmed.

The Friday action marked the first strikes since Tuesday’s midterm elections. Before the vote, analysts and regional officials had debated whether the election would push Trump toward further escalation or a return to diplomatic efforts.

Following recent reports that Congress is considering a nationwide voter ID requirement for federal elections, do you support requiring voters to show identification before casting a ballot?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from Common Defense, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

The United States had also struck Qeshm Island on Monday. A U.S. official told MS Now that the earlier action was a defensive measure.

While discussing the latest military activity, Trump also said Iran was eager to negotiate. He pointed to the country’s inflation, damaged navy and airport as reasons Iranian leaders wanted an agreement.

Trump said Iran wants “to make a deal very badly. They have 300% inflation. Their navy’s gone. Their airport, everything’s gone, and they want to make a deal.”

A report from the International Monetary Fund offered a different inflation figure. The report, published Oct. 13, forecast that Iran’s consumer prices would rise by an average of 78.6% in 2026.

Close

MORE NEWS: Soldiers Who ‘Absorbed the Danger’ Honored for Taking Down Fort Stewart Shooter

When a reporter asked whether he wanted to reach an agreement “really soon,” Trump said nobody was being hurt or killed. He also discussed the duration and intensity of the current war.

Trump said the conflict may have lasted seven months, but estimated that the period of serious fighting amounted to three or four weeks. He contrasted that period with World War One and World War Two, describing those conflicts as wars.

Iran, meanwhile, has said it needs more than “paper commitments” from the United States before entering another phase of diplomatic talks. Iranian officials are demanding action before negotiations move forward.

“We must see practical measures by the Americans,” Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told state broadcaster IRIB on Friday, according to Press TV.

The competing statements left military pressure and potential diplomacy running alongside each other. Trump described limited strikes and Iran’s desire for a deal, while an Iranian security official publicly demanded practical American measures before new talks.