US strikes Iranian island of Qeshm near Strait of Hormuz

The United States struck the Iranian island of Qeshm on November 2, marking another in a series of limited attacks near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Wall Street Journal. Unlike previous phases of the conflict, Washington is not publicly announcing the strikes. Officials say the campaign is deliberately kept covert to avoid the impression that the US is preparing to resume large-scale combat operations, with some describing the attacks as defensive measures to prevent Iran from targeting commercial shipping. Qeshm hosts an underground missile facility, a naval base, and a desalination plant. President Trump downplayed the risk of a new war, while Qatari mediators delivered a new peace plan draft on November 1. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered military commanders to prepare for a possible return to active hostilities.