US strikes Iran's Qeshm Island despite Trump's no-war stance

The United States struck Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday, despite President Donald Trump publicly ruling out renewed war and hinting at a diplomatic breakthrough. The attack is part of a series of covert American strikes over recent weeks, according to US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported explosions on Qeshm Island, which houses a large underground missile base, naval facility, and desalination plant. The strikes come as Trump, speaking a day before Tuesday's midterm elections, said the two sides had not been "fighting for weeks" and expressed optimism about a potential deal. The conflict began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February over its nuclear program, followed by Iranian retaliation and a US naval blockade. A June ceasefire framework collapsed over disputes including the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program.