US Strikes Iran's Qeshm Island as Trump Warns of Further Attacks

The United States carried out overnight strikes on targets on Iran's Qeshm Island, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal citing American officials. The strikes, conducted between Monday night and Tuesday morning, were reportedly part of a series of limited, covert US military operations near the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks, aimed at preventing Iranian attacks on commercial shipping.

An American official also confirmed the strikes on Qeshm Island to CNN, while officials told the Associated Press that recent US operations had targeted Iranian military units responsible for firing surface-to-air missiles at American forces.

Amid reports of the strikes, President Donald Trump warned that the United States could carry out additional military action against Iran.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said, “Maybe we'll have to hit Pickaxe Mountain — that's not a problem.”

He claimed that American forces could carry out such an operation within an hour, at a time of Washington's choosing.

Despite the military threats, Trump also expressed optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement with Tehran.

“Iran is not in a good position to negotiate. This isn't a war, this is a very soft war,” he said.

Trump argued that Iran's economy was collapsing, that its government was struggling to pay salaries, and that the United States was negotiating from a position of overwhelming strength.

However, Iranian officials presented a very different assessment of the diplomatic situation.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters overnight that “Iran and the US are far from reaching an agreement to end the war.”

According to the official, Tehran has no intention of accepting Washington's current demands and will agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz only if its own conditions are met. The official stressed that negotiations over Iran's nuclear program could begin only after those conditions were fulfilled.

The Iranian official also warned that any additional American strikes would trigger a powerful response, potentially extending beyond the immediate region.

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance offered a more encouraging assessment of the ongoing diplomatic contacts.

Speaking Monday night, Vance said there had been “a few good conversations with the Iranians,” adding that both he and Trump were encouraged by the progress toward a possible agreement.

Nevertheless, Vance cautioned that Iranian officials remained unpredictable and emphasized that Trump was keeping the option of further military action on the table.

The contrasting statements highlight the uncertainty surrounding US-Iran relations, as Washington continues to apply military pressure while pursuing a diplomatic agreement, and Tehran maintains its demands over the Strait of Hormuz and future nuclear negotiations.