US strikes hit Iran's Qeshm island ahead of midterm elections

The United States launched limited, defensive strikes against the Iranian island of Qeshm in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, according to American officials cited by CBS, the BBC's US partner. The attacks were a response to recent fire from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against a US aircraft. Iran's state news agency Irna reported multiple explosions on the island. The strikes come on the eve of US midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress, as President Donald Trump faces pressure from his own party to end the war that began in February when the US and Israel attacked Iran. Trump said he was in "no hurry" to escalate attacks, though he suggested a potential strike on a site linked to Iran's nuclear program. Iran's foreign minister said intense negotiations are underway via mediators, urging Washington to choose diplomacy over military aggression.