US Strikes Iranian Targets in Strait of Hormuz Amid Stalled Talks
An Iranian delegation left Qatar without a final deal, while regional leaders warn the next escalation will be more destructive.
By Lorenzo Patterson ·
The United States launched attacks on specific Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US officials. The strikes occurred as regional diplomats worked to prevent a return to full-scale war. This development follows a weekend of high-level contacts between Washington, Tehran, and their allies.
A regional official familiar with the discussions stated that an Iranian delegation departed Qatar on Sunday after negotiations aimed at ending the conflict. A draft proposal was distributed for comment, and a follow-up meeting is under discussion. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks. Iran’s latest public proposal would fully open the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic within two days if Washington meets several conditions, including lifting its blockade of Iranian ports.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday night that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a very good phone call on Saturday. Trump said they discussed Iran but provided no specific details. Netanyahu and his coalition lost their parliamentary majority in Tuesday’s legislative elections. Since the vote, the Prime Minister has made few public comments about the results. His office issued no statement regarding the call with Trump.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, met with military chiefs and ordered that any threat from the US or Israel be met with an immediate response without geographic limits. He urged commanders to expand the list of potential targets. Security Chief Mohsen Rezaei warned on social media that any attack would trigger devastating blows using new weapons. Rezaei described the shift in US tone as a very good signal but noted that Iran had not yet responded to a letter from Vice President JD Vance.
Commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz faced more attacks in October, marking the highest number of incidents since the war began in March. At the Manama Dialogue security summit in Bahrain, UAE Presidential Advisor Anwar Gargash said the positions of the US and Iran remain far apart. He warned that if these gaps do not close, the region must fear the worst. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stated that the next escalation would be more dangerous, more destructive, and would lead to nothing.
Gulf nations have spent billions of dollars strengthening their defense capabilities since the war started. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called reports of potential new attacks against Iran alarming. Meanwhile, China announced it will send a special envoy to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia in early to mid-November. Chinese President Xi Jinping told the Sultan of Oman that the region should not become a stage for great power rivalry. Both countries called for a return to dialogue.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who visited Turkmenistan on Monday, said the final outcome depends on US answers to Iranian questions. Washington seeks to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and wants to address the issue in any new round of talks. Tehran prefers to handle the nuclear question later. The standoff continues as both sides prepare for possible military action or a diplomatic breakthrough.
