The US military struck Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, US officials told CBS, hours before polls open in the midterm elections.
The big picture: Trump told Axios on Monday he was in no rush to escalate, and the strikes landed the same evening. The war began in February when the US and Israel attacked Iran, and he now faces falling poll numbers and pressure inside his own party to end it.
- "One way or the other, we will do something, but there is no rush. We crippled them financially," Trump told Axios. "They have no money, no gasoline and their people are getting very tired of it."
Zoom in: US officials described the strikes as limited and said they answered Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fire on a US aircraft. Iran's state news agency IRNA reported several explosions on Qeshm on Monday.
- Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told IRNA that very intensive talks to end the war are under way through mediators, and that Tehran is prepared for both diplomatic and military scenarios more than ever before.
Between the lines: Speculation has grown in recent days that Washington may resume significant strikes after the midterms. Asked directly on Monday whether that was the plan, Trump said no.
What's next: Trump told Fox News the US might need to go after Pickaxe, a site linked to Iran's nuclear programme, calling it not a big deal and a job that could be done in one hour. The BBC has asked US Central Command for comment.
Why it matters: Qeshm Island sits in the Strait of Hormuz, and the strike lands while Araghchi says mediated talks are live. Control of Congress is on the ballot Tuesday, and Araghchi framed the choice as a wise path of negotiation or the mistake of military aggression.
