Trump Confirms US Strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, Calls Them “Minor” as Talks With Tehran Continue

President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that US forces carried out strikes against Iranian air defenses on Qeshm Island, describing the operation as minor and saying his administration has made “a lot of progress” in talks with Tehran.

“We do minor strikes,” Trump told reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida. “They built a little bit of an anti-aircraft device, and we knocked it out in about 15 minutes, maybe five.”

Iranian state media reported two missile strikes in the Suza area of Qeshm Island, in the Strait of Hormuz. State broadcaster IRIB also reported an Iranian army statement saying its air defenses intercepted and destroyed an American MQ-9 drone over the island. The United States has not confirmed that claim.

What CENTCOM and Qatar said

US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, described the situation as “relatively calm.” A CENTCOM official told Al Jazeera the command was aware of the reports and had no further comment.

CENTCOM said in a post on X late Friday that the United States was offering a reward of up to $20 million and possible relocation for information about Iran’s nuclear program, including its facilities, equipment and associated personnel.

Qatar, which has mediated between Washington and Tehran, dismissed reports that the negotiations had failed. Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for the Qatari foreign ministry, wrote on X that promoting such claims serves “only those seeking to prolong the war and destabilise the region.”

Talks continue as strikes resume

Trump told reporters several times on Friday that his administration was talking to representatives from Tehran. “We’re dealing with them now. They want to make a deal,” he said. “We’ve made a lot of progress with Iran,” he added, without giving details.

Two Middle Eastern government officials told Al Jazeera that Iran was reviewing proposals presented by Qatar as mediator, while one official said Iran would not negotiate on its atomic activities until the United States agreed to several conditions. According to the officials, Iran’s demands include an end to the US blockade of its ports, the lifting of sanctions, the unfreezing of its assets and compensation for war damage.

Friday’s strikes were the first since Tuesday’s midterm elections, in which Trump’s Republican Party lost control of both chambers of Congress. Trump blamed the election results on the Iran war. On Thursday, he said the United States may have to “destroy” the rest of Iran, adding that people will “know soon enough” if he acts.

The strikes followed US action on Monday, when Iranian media reported explosions on Qeshm Island and American media outlets reported that the US military had carried out what officials called “defensive strikes” in the Strait of Hormuz.

Reporting based on coverage by Al Jazeera and The Guardian.