U.S. launches limited strikes near Strait of Hormuz, officials tell CBS

U.S. forces carried out limited, defensive strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, multiple U.S. officials told CBS News. The officials said the action followed an apparent Iranian attack on a U.S. aircraft, as Washington and Tehran remained at odds over terms for diplomacy and reopening the strait.

The reported operations came shortly before U.S. midterm elections. President Donald Trump said a deal to end the conflict “could happen,” according to CBS, while a senior Iranian figure said the U.S. response to Tehran’s latest proposal was not convincing.

What were the U.S. strikes near the Strait of Hormuz responding to?

U.S. officials characterized the strikes as limited and defensive, CBS reported, saying they responded to an apparent Iranian attack on an American aircraft. The supplied reporting does not establish that the operation marked a broader return to major combat.

An Econbrowser post, citing a Wall Street Journal report, said U.S. officials had described smaller-scale strikes against Iran over several weeks as defensive measures intended to restrict Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait. That account also said the United States had not publicly announced the attacks and that an official described the lower-profile approach as intended to avoid signaling renewed major combat operations.

The same account referred to explosions reported around Qeshm Island on social media. The material does not independently establish that those explosions were caused by U.S. strikes.

Iran links shipping route to diplomatic demands

Iran said it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and commit to peace talks only if the United States followed Tehran’s seven-point plan, CBS reported. Separately, the senior Iranian figure said Iran’s demands included a halt to fighting on all fronts in the Middle East.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged restraint, diplomacy and flexibility in a call with his Iranian counterpart, according to CBS. The broadcaster said the negotiations appeared to be at an impasse and reported that Washington was unlikely to accept most elements of Iran’s plan.

Commercial shipping remained exposed to incidents. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations received a report that two unknown projectiles hit a tanker near Oman’s northeast coast, CBS reported. The tanker’s security officer said the projectiles struck the engine room; no injuries or environmental impact had been reported at that point, and authorities were investigating.

What supports a forecast of wider escalation?

The Econbrowser author argued that assurances against a major escalation after the election were not credible. That is a forecast and opinion rather than a confirmed development. The available reports document limited strikes, contested diplomatic terms and shipping-security incidents, but do not provide evidence of a planned or imminent major post-election escalation.

Earlier in 2026, a U.S. Defense Department inspector general report said Iran and aligned groups had carried out retaliatory attacks on U.S. military and diplomatic facilities in Iraq and elsewhere in the region. It also said U.S. forces conducted defensive strikes against Iran-aligned militias threatening coalition personnel in Iraq. That report covered January through March and does not document the later strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.

This story draws on original reporting from Econbrowser.