Trump emphasizes prospects for an agreement
President Trump said on Truth Social on Monday that oil prices were falling by almost $10 a barrel, describing the decline as a record and attributing it to expectations that there would be no war with Iran.
“Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible. It could happen!” he wrote.
NBC News correspondent Garrett Haake reported: “Asked whether he was considering striking Iran again after the midterms, Trump replied, ‘No’”. Haake said Trump had taken no questions and was walking away when he shouted the question. Trump looked at him and responded. Reuters also reported Trump’s answer.
Explosions reported on Qeshm and in southern Iranian ports
IRNA reported two explosions in quick succession on Iran’s Qeshm Island. The agency said the intensity of the blasts suggested they originated within the island. Some residents also reported seeing two aircraft overhead.
Local and provincial authorities had issued no official statements about the incident at the time of IRNA’s report. Explosions were also reported in the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Bandar Lengeh, the latter in Hormozgan Province in southern Iran.
U.S. officials describe strikes on Iranian military targets
A U.S. official told Axios that an American fighter jet was targeted by an Iranian surface-to-air missile on Monday night, prompting the jet to strike the missile launch platform on Qeshm Island.
U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal:
“The US carried out an attack on Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday, targeting radar systems and missile launch platforms. The U.S. has been conducting limited strikes against Iran for several weeks without publicly acknowledging them, deliberately keeping the operations secret to avoid signaling its intention to resume military operations”.
Diplomatic contacts continue without a breakthrough
Reuters reported Monday that talks through Qatari mediators ended without a breakthrough, although contacts continued. Iranian sources told Reuters they considered another U.S. attack more likely than a deal. That remains their assessment, rather than confirmation of an American decision.
The Wall Street Journal separately reported that Gulf allies were preparing for possible major U.S. strikes and Iranian retaliation as early as this week. Its reporting described replenished American munitions, strengthened defenses and Israeli attack preparations, while saying Trump had not decided whether to proceed with a broader attack.
Israel RealTime analysis: What Trump’s remarks establish
Trump’s final sentence refers to the possibility of a negotiated settlement. It does not announce an agreement or guarantee that further military action has been ruled out. His reported “No” when asked about strikes after the midterms also deserves weight when assessing his public position.
Diplomatic optimism and military readiness can coexist. Preparations can strengthen negotiating pressure while preserving the ability to act if diplomacy fails. Trump’s post offers hope for an agreement, but it should not be read as a security all-clear.
The reported limited strikes on Qeshm Island do not establish that a broader campaign has been ordered. The November 3 elections are central to reporting about possible timing, but they are not an established military deadline.
Renewed fighting remains a serious possibility. Neither an imminent broad offensive nor a diplomatic breakthrough has been established by these reports.
