U.S. Launches Secret Strikes on Iran Ahead of Midterm Elections

The United States struck Iran's strategic Qeshm Island on November 2, US officials confirmed, in the latest in a series of previously undisclosed military operations against Iran that have continued even as President Donald Trump plays down the prospect of renewed large-scale fighting. The strikes come just hours before the November 3 US midterm elections and follow a shift in Trump's public rhetoric.

After weeks of warning that Washington could resume a major military campaign against Tehran after the vote, the president ruled out an immediate attack and pointed to the possibility of a diplomatic breakthrough. Asked whether he was considering striking Iran after the midterms, Trump told reporters, "No."