U.S. says it carries out minor strikes on Iran near Strait of Hormuz

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U.S. minor strikes near Hormuz

Highlights

The U.S. conducts 'minor strikes' on Iran near Qeshm Island by the Strait of Hormuz, targeting an anti-aircraft device and marking the first action since the Tuesday midterm elections.
The International Monetary Fund projects Iran's consumer prices will surge by 78.6% in 2026, underscoring mounting economic pressure as Trump claims Iran wants a deal 'very badly.'
Iran insists on concrete U.S. actions rather than 'paper commitments' before advancing talks, indicating continued tension that could impact regional energy security and oil flows.

Strikes near critical energy corridor

As first reported by CNBC, Trump tells reporters on Friday that the U.S. carries out "minor strikes" on Iran, after Iranian news agency Tasnim reports that two missiles strike Qeshm Island. Trump does not comment specifically on Qeshm Island and says, "I don't want to talk about it," but adds that the U.S. knocks out what he describes as an anti-aircraft device in about 15 minutes, maybe five.

Tasnim says there is no official information on damage from the missile strikes. Qeshm Island lies off Iran's southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil and gas flows that remains a flashpoint in the war.

The reported action is the first since Tuesday's midterm elections, after analysts and regional officials debate whether the vote leads Trump toward further escalation or renewed diplomacy. The U.S. also strikes the same island on Monday, in what a U.S. official describes as a defensive measure.

Diplomatic pressure and economic strain

Trump also says Iran wants "to make a deal very badly," while pointing to severe economic stress inside the country. The International Monetary Fund forecasts in a report published Oct. 13 that Iran's consumer prices rise by an average of 78.6% in 2026.

When asked whether he wants a deal "really soon," Trump says, "We have nobody getting hurt, nobody getting killed," while downplaying the scale of the conflict compared with earlier major wars. Iran says it wants more than "paper commitments" from the U.S. before entering a new phase of diplomatic talks.

Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, tells state broadcaster IRIB on Friday that Tehran must see practical measures from the Americans. The exchange leaves military pressure and diplomacy moving in parallel, with potential implications for regional security and energy markets.

Our earlier coverage of the Strait of Hormuz shipping disruption explained that interruptions through this key corridor were already hitting agriculture, as higher fuel and transport costs and tighter fertilizer flows began to weigh on harvests and planting decisions. We also noted that food-security risks were rising—especially in parts of Asia and Africa—and that prolonged uncertainty could keep agricultural commodity prices elevated as supply chains absorb additional costs.

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