U.S. military conducts defensive strikes against Iranian targets
U.S. military strikes Iranian missile sites in Strait of Hormuz after IRGC fire on aircraft.
(Photo via CBS News)
The U.S. military carried out limited, defensive strikes against Iranian targets on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. The operation was initiated by U.S. Central Command following an incident in which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired at an American aircraft.
The strikes were designed to disable Iranian surface-to-air missile sites and radar detectors. A U.S. official described the action as a necessary defensive measure taken in response to the use of missiles against American assets.
President Donald Trump has characterized the ongoing conflict as a soft war rather than a full-scale military engagement. Addressing the broader situation, the president noted that the U.S. maintains the capability to address additional sites, including a suspected nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain, if diplomatic negotiations do not yield a deal.
U.S. officials stated that the recent strikes do not represent a return to major combat operations. The military action comes as diplomatic efforts, supported by Qatar and other international partners, continue in an attempt to reach a resolution between the two nations.