Donald Trump has authorised strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island, targeting Iranian forces using surface-to-air missiles against US assets in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to the Wall Street Journal. The move comes despite earlier suggestions that attacks would not be escalated before Tuesday's midterm elections.
Iranian state television reported that explosions were heard on Qeshm Island. Officials told the WSJ that the strikes were intended to prevent Iran from attacking allied ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which a large proportion of the world's oil passes, originating from major Middle East exporters. Global oil prices have soared in response.
President's comments on the conflict
President Trump had previously suggested that attacks were scaled down and floated the possibility of a diplomatic deal before the midterm elections. In an interview with Fox News on Monday, he said: "We had a war with Iran. We won." He added, "I don't know if you even call it a war because we haven't been doing any fighting for months."
He described the strikes as equivalent to a "soft war," stating: "This isn't a war. It's a very soft war. But this isn't like a war that's going on. There's no war raging. It could happen if they don't make a deal."
Escalation fears and nuclear warnings
The strikes are likely to raise fears of further escalation, coming just a day after a US commentator warned that WW3 could erupt. Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was pressuring the US President to authorise an attack on Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected Iranian nuclear site in central Iran.
Carlson alleged that the underground facility, believed by Israeli intelligence to be linked to renewed uranium enrichment, is protected by around 300 feet of solid granite, making conventional weapons ineffective. He said: "Under pressure from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Trump administration may be within days of launching a nuclear strike on Iran. The target would be Pickax Mountain in central Iran, where Israeli intelligence claims the Iranian government has restarted its nuclear enrichment program."
Iran has denied conducting nuclear activity at the Pickaxe Mountain complex. Donald Trump has previously ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran. Carlson also claimed that an American nuclear attack could encourage other countries, including Russia, North Korea, India and Pakistan, to consider using nuclear weapons, writing: "After the first nuclear strike, World War Three is inevitable. That war would be short and final."
Iran's warning
Iran has warned Washington and Tel Aviv against further attacks. The situation remains tense as the international community watches for any further developments.
