The U.S. military carried out defensive strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island and Bandar Lengeh on Monday. These attacks were launched after Iran fired at a U.S. aircraft. Iranian state television reported that explosions were heard on Qeshm Island, the largest island in the Strait of Hormuz.
These operations are the latest in a series of limited strikes Washington has secretly carried out in recent weeks. The U.S. has not publicly announced these attacks to avoid signaling an intention to resume major combat operations.
The strikes took place on the eve of U.S. midterm elections, in which Democrats took control of Congress in a landslide victory. Following the elections, President Donald Trump played down the possibility of a return to war and stated he has no immediate plans to launch strikes on Iran.
The two nations currently appear to be on parallel tracks toward both peace and war. Despite the recent hostilities, President Trump has signaled progress in negotiations with Tehran to end the eight-month-old conflict, as both sides appear keen to move peace talks forward.