US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US military had carried out new limited strikes on Iran, targeting an Iranian air defence system on Qeshm Island. The Qeshm Island strikes come as Qatar pushes an interim deal to halt escalation between the two countries.
Trump described the strikes as "minor." According to The Hindu, he said the target was a small anti-aircraft device that was knocked out in about 15 minutes, "maybe five."
Trump also insisted the action was "not a war," according to a headline and short excerpt from Al Jazeera. Only that headline and excerpt were available, so the full report was not reviewed.
Iranian state media reported hearing two explosions in the Suza area of Qeshm Island, according to the South China Morning Post. Qeshm lies in a crucial waterway for oil shipments.
The explosions reported by Iranian state media have not been independently confirmed by other sources. No Iranian government response to the strikes is included in the available reporting.
The US military also carried out what it described as defensive strikes on Monday, November 2, with explosions reported on Qeshm and Hengam islands and in Bandar Abbas. The latest strikes follow those earlier actions.
The strikes come days after Trump’s Republican Party suffered a major defeat in the November 3 US midterm elections. Voter dissatisfaction with his handling of the conflict and high fuel prices helped fuel that defeat, according to the reporting.
Officials from Iran and a Gulf government said Iran is reviewing Qatar-presented proposals on Iran’s nuclear programme. However, Iran remains unwilling to negotiate on nuclear issues until its core conditions are met, according to The Hindu.
Iran’s core demands include ending the US blockade of its ports, lifting sanctions, unfreezing assets, compensation for war damage, and ending hostilities across the region, according to The Hindu.
Mediators and Iran have also discussed a proposed two-day bridge deal. Under the proposal, the US would take trust-building steps, followed by Iranian reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to regional officials. Officials’ claims that Iran would reopen the strait and that the US would lift its blockade are unconfirmed and were not made on the record.
Separately, the US Central Command announced a reward of up to $20 million and possible relocation for information about Iran’s nuclear programme, according to The Hindu.
The reports differ on the date of the latest strikes. The Hindu gives the strikes as Friday, November 6, 2026 in one place, but refers to "Friday’s (November 7) strikes" in another, and its dateline is November 7.
The White House declined to comment on the Qatar proposals, and no further comment on the strikes was reported. The US military’s own account of the strikes beyond Trump’s remarks is not in the available sources.
Qatar-mediated talks continue, with the proposed bridge deal under Iranian review. Iran’s demands and US approval remain unresolved, and officials say Trump has not ruled out new strikes.
Sources
This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.