US hits Qeshm Island, Pezeshkian signals more diplomacy: Iran war latest

What the report says

US forces struck Iran’s Qeshm Island late Monday, in what US officials reportedly described as a defensive action and the first hit on the island since June, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on Reuters and other wire coverage. The island, off Iran’s southern coast in the Strait of Hormuz, has been described by analysts as an important site for Iran’s naval and asymmetric military capabilities. Iranian state media reported explosions and said the strikes followed claims that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard had downed a US MQ-9 drone east of the strait.

The article said the attack comes amid fragile diplomacy alongside continued military pressure. Qatar has been mediating indirect talks between Iranian and US officials, with a draft proposal still circulating and no breakthrough announced. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said consultations were intense, while government spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran’s conditions were clear. President Masoud Pezeshkian also said the government had authority to pursue talks and would seek a settlement through dialogue.

On the US side, Vice President JD Vance said before the strikes that he was hopeful for a negotiated outcome. US President Donald Trump also suggested mediation could produce a deal, while warning there was no rush to decide on further action. The report said the renewed pressure comes after the wider Iran war began in February, disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and pushed up energy prices, making the next steps significant for regional security and global oil markets.