The United States military has launched fresh strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island, a fortified outpost near the Strait of Hormuz, as diplomatic efforts stall and Tehran resumes attacks on its neighbours. US Central Command stated that the strikes targeted a ground control tower in 'self-defence', alleging that Iran had attempted but failed to attack Kuwait and Bahrain with missiles.
Qeshm Island, covering 558 square miles, has been a focal point in the conflict, used by Iran to attack shipping in the strategic waterway. At the height of hostilities, it was considered a potential target for a US ground offensive aimed at breaking Tehran's control over the Strait of Hormuz. In peacetime, the island is a tourist destination, but it has been heavily militarised with missiles, drones, and fast-attack boats.
Retired Lebanese Brigadier-General Hassan Jouni told Al Jazeera that the island houses an underground 'missile city' capable of launching strikes. Defence analyst Can Kasapoğlu, writing for the Hudson Institute, noted that satellite imagery suggests Iran has placed a significant portion of its anti-ship missiles in underground launch positions on Qeshm. He described the island as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' 'primary denial hub', designed to block traffic approaching the Strait of Hormuz.
Experts warn that any US assault on Qeshm would be costly. Rashid Al-Mohanadi, vice-president of the Centre of International Policy Research, told The Telegraph that the island is likely prepared for invasion, with anti-ship capabilities, mined coasts, and booby-trapped beaches. He added that Iran could also launch strikes from the mainland. The US previously conducted 'self-defence strikes' on Iranian radar and drone control sites on Qeshm and in Goruk on 31 May.
Since mid-March, former President Donald Trump has indicated he is close to a deal to end the fighting, with a focus on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran denies seeking a nuclear bomb and insists its atomic programme is peaceful. Tehran seeks access to oil revenues, waivers on crude exports, and continued leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passed before the war.
