The International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, said in a confidential report to member states, circulated on Friday, Nov. 13, that it is "increasingly concerned" Iran has not let it inspect the Isfahan Fuel Enrichment Plant. Iran declared the underground plant on June 12, 2025.

An inspection planned for the next day was cancelled when the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites began. The agency says it does not know the plant's exact location, its status or whether it holds nuclear material. It calls the lack of information on Iran's nuclear material a matter of serious proliferation concern that needs to be fixed with "utmost urgency."

Iran has not let inspectors return to any bombed sites, and the agency has been unable to verify the stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium. The report says Iran told the agency that talks on resuming inspections cannot continue amid public threats by the US president of further armed aggression. Iran also reaffirmed its commitment to resume full safeguards once conditions permit.

The IAEA says it is ready to resume its work at short notice and encourages Iran to consider technical and gradual measures. Al Jazeera adds that the report did not establish that enrichment is taking place at the plant.

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Some Senate Democrats want to use the Dec. 11 government funding deadline to try to cut off money for the Iran war. Sens. Michael Bennet, Chris Van Hollen, Tammy Duckworth and independent Bernie Sanders said Thursday they would oppose any short-term spending deal without language restricting the Trump administration from using appropriated funds to continue the war. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said Thursday he is working on language to end the war and wants it attached to the next stopgap bill.

The Epoch Times reports that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did not say at a Nov. 10 news conference whether Democrats would withhold votes on the December bill. Republicans control both chambers until January. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, a Republican, said a Republican Congress will not send bills to a Republican president that he would veto.

Pressing the demand could lead to a partial government shutdown. Republicans are also divided over whether to pass a party-line bill with more Pentagon money. Semafor reports that Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he does not know if he has 50 Republicans ready to pass the budget resolution it would need.

The Daily Caller cites a Pentagon estimate of the war's cost at $47.1 billion as of mid-October.

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President Donald Trump said on Thursday, Nov. 12, that the United States does not need a deal with Iran. In Truth Social posts, he said the US has Iran's money, "Hundreds of Billions of Dollars," and its Strait, meaning the Strait of Hormuz. He also asked Vice President JD Vance to give his "complete and total attention" to what Trump calls corruption and crime in Democratic-run cities and states.

Trump named Minnesota, California and Illinois and said billions of dollars are stolen in blue states each month. Vance has led US efforts to negotiate with Iran, including talks in Pakistan in April. He also chairs the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which Fox News says Trump set up with a March 16 executive order.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Vance was considering meeting a senior Iranian security official, and Reuters has not confirmed it. After the midterm elections, in which Republicans lost control of Congress, Vance blamed the losses in part on the Iran war and its effect on the cost of living. Oil prices rose and stocks fell after Trump's posts, according to Axios.

Vance's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved from his Washington home to a military base after Iranian threats against his life, according to sources cited by several outlets. The New York Times first reported the move. The nature and severity of the threats are not clear, and the Trump administration has not detailed them.

Sources told CBS News and Reuters that concern grew after the Wall Street Journal published an aerial view of his Georgetown home, which allowed it to be geolocated. A source told the AP the move was partly due to media reports that helped identify his address. A Treasury spokesperson said Bessent "will not be deterred" and remains committed to Operation Economic Outcast, the sanctions campaign against Iran that he leads, and to the blockade.

Per the AP, recent US intelligence indicated Iran has intensified attempts to go after American staff in the Middle East and beyond. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio also live on military bases. According to Reuters, Iran earlier rejected claims that it plotted attacks on officials and people on US soil.

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President Donald Trump spoke at the national Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on Wednesday, Nov. 11, having placed a wreath before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Vice President JD Vance and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins also spoke. Trump defended the war with Iran, saying "America did not start a war with Iran" and that the US had won, with the only question being when to end it.

He said he wants a "total victory," not a "93% victory," and that the war will be over "soon." He said operations began seven months ago, with only a few weeks of active fighting, and that "We lost 18 beautiful souls." He also thanked service members working to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

Near the end, he said a "magnificent triumphal arch" for veterans would soon be dedicated. The 250-foot arch is planned just outside the cemetery entrance, and it faces lawsuits from Vietnam War veterans, Virginia, the District of Columbia and, as of Tuesday, nine members of the Kennedy family. A federal judge, Tanya Chutkan, has temporarily blocked construction while the cases proceed.

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The House voted 211 to 204 on Tuesday to send Rep. Thomas Massie's impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to a committee. The procedural step effectively blocks the measure, and Massie had warned that a referral would kill it. Massie, a Kentucky Republican who leaves Congress in January, introduced eight articles of impeachment on Monday.

They accuse Hegseth of waging the Iran war illegally and without congressional approval, and they also raise Venezuela. Massie was the only Republican to vote against the referral. Eleven Democrats and seven Republicans did not vote.

Some of the Democrats blamed traffic from a police escort of a bus. At a veterans gathering in San Francisco, Pelosi was, her spokesman said, and she would have voted against the motion to refer. At a Pentagon press conference, Hegseth called the effort a "farce."

Trump wrote that it "miserably FAILED!" House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said, "This is not the end of it." Democrats are expected to hold the majority in both chambers next year.

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The United States and Iran are negotiating through Qatar, which is circulating a framework document that both sides are amending, according to Yahoo News. On Sunday, Nov. 8, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted that Iran's "2-day proposal stands." He demanded an end to the war on all fronts and warned of Iranian forces that would "rain down hell" if the US chooses war.

He linked the message to the Republican losses in the midterm elections. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he "wouldn't say we're on the verge of a breakthrough" and called some Iranian demands "outrageous and ridiculous." Trump told CNN that new US attacks are "highly unlikely" if Tehran moves toward a deal covering its nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

He told "60 Minutes" he was "not looking to" escalate, but would give an "emphatic yes" if asked again whether to attack Iran. Vice President JD Vance said the war was among the reasons Republicans lost. Publicly, Iran says it will not discuss the nuclear program or reopen the strait unless seven preconditions are met, including lifting a maritime blockade.

Trump was expected to meet Qatar's prime minister in Washington on Monday.

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Democrats, who won the House and Senate in the midterms, are looking for ways to force an end to President Trump's war with Iran before the new Congress takes office. The lame-duck session began Monday, and a government funding deadline falls on Dec. 11. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., told MS NOW the deadline is likely their strongest leverage.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on House Appropriations, said her party will not fund the war. Democrats are still working out how to put a directive into spending legislation that would legally compel Trump to halt the war, and Rep. Jamie Raskin said they have not settled on a specific plan, MS NOW reports. Impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is another track.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has put forward articles of impeachment, and Rep. Analilia Mejia, a New Jersey Democrat, told Newsweek she intends to vote for them. Senators have forced 14 war powers votes so far, MS NOW reports. One passed and Trump ignored it.

The latest, in September, failed 49-50. The Hill reports Senate Democrats say they have support from some Republicans to halt a conflict that has lasted more than eight months. The new Congress begins Jan. 3, 2027.

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The US moved refueling aircraft out of RAF Mildenhall, a US-operated base in Suffolk, eastern England, on Monday. The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the decision, that the move was due to a threat from Iran. Its sources did not say whether the threat was imminent or general.

Flight-tracking data shows at least 10 KC-135 tankers left, landing at bases in Germany and Spain and at Prestwick Airport in Scotland. NBC News counts three Ospreys moving to nearby RAF Lakenheath as well. A US official said the US takes "proactive measures" to keep its aircraft, people and installations safe.

The US Air Force said aircraft rotate between locations for a variety of reasons and it will give no further information on movement of assets. Britain's Ministry of Defence said it does not routinely comment on other nations' activity. The move comes weeks after the US withdrew bombers from RAF Fairford during an investigation of a suspected Iran-linked plot.

Two men have been charged under the National Security Act. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were strong indications Iran played a part in the Fairford incident. On Monday, President Donald Trump said new strikes on Iran seem unnecessary for now, but the US is "locked and loaded."

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Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, introduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the House floor on Monday. They accuse Hegseth of waging the war on Iran without congressional authorization, as the War Powers Resolution requires. They also cite civilian harm, strikes on alleged drug boats, the operation that seized Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, strikes in Yemen and suppression of free speech.

Massie is using a privileged procedure that could bring a House vote by Wednesday. He first announced the articles in mid-September, but Speaker Mike Johnson adjourned the House before a vote. Johnson told reporters that Cabinet secretaries are not impeached for "political gain or for cheap tricks" and that he thinks that is what this effort is.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, expected to become speaker, said he is a "hard yes." Trump said he will "stand by" Hegseth, who he said "won two wars," and called Massie a "loser."

Hegseth said his team is not worried and that he welcomes defending his actions in Congress. He has a press conference set for Tuesday. Impeachment needs a House majority.

Removal needs two-thirds of the Senate, and Democrats are expected to hold about 54 seats there. Democrats won both chambers in the Nov. 3 midterms, and Republicans keep control until Jan. 3.

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President Donald Trump said Monday, Nov. 9, that the Iran war is "effectively over" militarily, but that the US will keep the "status quo." That includes the naval blockade of Iranian ports and a newly announced effort to cut Iran's land trade routes. He spoke at the White House after meeting Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Trump called new military action "quite unlikely" but said US forces are "locked and loaded" if developments change. He said Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait prefer the status quo. No deal emerged from the 45-minute meeting, and the White House released no readout, the Washington Examiner reports.

The Qatari prime minister reportedly presented Trump with a two-day Iranian proposal to end the war, according to Al Jazeera. Fox News says Washington has not accepted it. Iranian officials dismissed Trump's remarks as a distraction, Al Jazeera reports, and President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran is open to talks but will not be coerced.

The war began Feb. 28. Vice President JD Vance said the war was a key reason Republicans lost both houses of Congress in the midterms.

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Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven countries began two days of talks in Paris on Monday. The US, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan are taking part. It is Secretary of State Marco Rubio's first overseas trip since the midterm elections, in which Republicans lost control of Congress.

Ukraine, Iran, energy and artificial intelligence are among the topics. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are set to meet Ukrainian and Russian officials in Abu Dhabi. Rubio said some progress has been achieved on security arrangements after the war for Ukraine and the remainder of Europe, but nothing has been settled yet.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Europe must have a place at the table. On Iran, Qatari and other mediators have proposed an interim solution. Rubio said the parties are not near a breakthrough, and he described Iran's demands as unacceptable, in some instances even "outrageous."

France has signaled there will be no joint communique. Canada announced new sanctions on Russia on the sidelines, adding 38 entities and 24 individuals to its list.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday in Florida that President Trump launched the war on Iran to protect the world from Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Confronting such threats, he said, "isn't necessarily popular, but necessary." Rubio was answering a question about Vice President JD Vance's post largely blaming the war for Republican losses in Tuesday's midterm elections, in which Democrats won control of Congress.

On Friday night, at an event at Mar-a-Lago, Rubio had said Trump "was elected to do the hard things." On diplomacy, Rubio said he would not say a breakthrough is near, and he called Iran's demands in some cases "outrageous and ridiculous." Trump told CNN that if talks show progress and a "strong agreement" is signed, resuming strikes is "highly unlikely."

He said he does not regret the war. Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, posted on X that Tehran's "2-day proposal stands." Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for commercial ships within two days, provided the US satisfies its conditions.

Iran is reviewing proposals from mediator Qatar, according to the Associated Press. Trump is due to meet Qatar's prime minister at the White House on Monday.

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Speaking to CNN by phone on Sunday, President Donald Trump said it is "highly unlikely" he will have to order the US back to war with Iran, provided discussions over Tehran's nuclear activities and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz continue to advance. "It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement," he said. He said the US has three aircraft carriers in the region, "fully locked and loaded," and 38 bridges in Iran it could knock down in "literally one hour."

The war, now eight months old, is in a stalemate with little fighting or diplomatic progress. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, wrote on X on Sunday that Tehran will "rain down hell" if the US resumes attacks. He also said mediators have not traveled since Tuesday's US midterm elections, in which Republicans lost their majorities in Congress.

Qatar, a mediator, denied on Saturday that talks had failed. Reuters cited a senior Iranian official saying Tehran sent a nuclear proposal to Washington through Qatar, with further talks dependent on the US meeting its demands. The US keeps a blockade around Iran.

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The US military said it disabled a St. Kitts-flagged commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday, Nov. 7. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the ship's crew ignored repeated warnings and tried to violate the naval blockade of Iran. It said the vessel, named M/V Huda, was trying to leave regional waters after visiting an Iranian port.

CENTCOM said a US aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern after the crew was told to abandon targeted spaces. The UAE National Guard said 22 people were rescued from a cargo ship in the gulf. CENTCOM says that since July it has redirected 147 vessels that complied with the blockade and disabled five that refused.

Separately, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed two oil tankers hit mines near the Strait of Hormuz and caught fire, saying they used an unauthorised route. Iranian state media reported explosions on Qeshm Island and in Jask. On Friday, Trump said US forces carried out limited strikes on an Iranian air defense system, calling them "minor."

The war with Iran is more than 8 months old, and diplomacy to end it has stalled.

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US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday, Nov. 7, a new unit called Task Force Iron Gate. Its aim is to stop Iran from using land borders and the Caspian Sea to move advanced weapons and other materials. About 20 civilian and military personnel will staff it in Tampa, Florida.

Alongside other US government agencies, it will work to stop the movement of advanced weapons, dual-use technologies and sanctioned materials across those routes, as well as illegal revenue streams. CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the unit reinforces the success of the naval blockade of Iran and will "further constrain Iran's ability to finance terrorism." CENTCOM puts the crude oil Iran has been unable to export because of the blockade at more than $25 billion.

Reuters notes the task force comes more than eight months after the US and Israel began the war against Iran. Trump confirmed limited strikes on Qeshm Island on Friday, which he called "minor," and talks to end the war continue. Separately, CENTCOM said on Saturday that a US aircraft had disabled the commercial ship M/V Huda in the Gulf of Oman as part of the blockade of Iranian ports.

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The US State Department is offering up to $20 million for information on Iran's nuclear program, plus "possible relocation" for whoever supplies it. The Rewards for Justice program announced the offer on X, and US Central Command shared it. It seeks details on Iran's facilities, equipment and associated personnel.

The State Department said Iran's lack of compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency has left the agency without "continuity of knowledge" about Iran's output and stockpile of key parts such as centrifuges. Trump has repeatedly said US strikes "obliterated" Iran's nuclear facilities.

Iran insists its program is peaceful, according to the BBC. On Friday Trump confirmed that US forces carried out "minor strikes" on Iran, saying they knocked out an anti-aircraft device. The war began in late February.

Trump says Iran wants a deal "very badly." Qatar's foreign ministry said both sides were reviewing proposals. Fox News reports Trump met Thursday with his national security team to consider renewing strikes, and according to reports citing a US official, Central Command is readying for a possible resumption but has no new directive.

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UKMTO, the British military's maritime trade agency, said a tanker was struck by two projectiles on Wednesday about 50 nautical miles north of Madinat ash-Shamal, off Qatar. It did not name the tanker or its flag, and there was no immediate claim of responsibility. On Thursday, Iranian state media and forces said tankers and a tugboat caught fire after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian forces said at least five tankers were damaged, and the state TV claim could not be independently verified. The Revolutionary Guard said the ships used "unauthorized passages." On Friday, Greek firm Velos Tankers said one seafarer died after an explosion, believed to be a missile attack, on its tanker Velos Sapphire, which was sailing toward Bahrain.

UKMTO data show more than 35 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz in October, the most in a month since the war began. Iran has restricted traffic through the strait since the US and Israel attacked it in late February. Qatar's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that both sides were reviewing mediators' proposals.

The New York Times reported, citing unnamed Pentagon officials and commanders, that US forces are poised to resume major combat operations on Trump's orders.

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President Trump said on Friday that US forces carried out "minor strikes" on Iran's Qeshm Island, in the Strait of Hormuz. He said the US destroyed an Iranian anti-aircraft system in "about 15 minutes, maybe five." Iran's state media said two missiles hit the Suza area of the island.

Iran's army said its air defenses destroyed a US MQ-9 drone over Qeshm. The US has not confirmed that claim. US Central Command told Al Jazeera the situation was "relatively calm."

The strikes are the first since Republican losses in Tuesday's midterm elections. The US also struck the island on Monday, in what the military called defensive strikes. Trump said the US has made "a lot of progress" with Iran and that Tehran wants a deal.

Qatar, the main mediator, rejected reports that talks have collapsed. Iran says it will not enter nuclear talks until the US meets several demands, including lifting its blockade of Iranian ports and sanctions. Late Friday, Central Command also offered a reward of up to $20 million for information on Iran's nuclear program.

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Democrats captured majorities in both the Senate and the House in Tuesday's US midterm elections, and Iran's leaders responded. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Iran's chief negotiator, wrote on X that Americans said no to war. According to Deutsche Welle, he also acknowledged that the rising cost of living contributed to the Republican loss.

In a written statement, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Washington's hostility would last no matter which party is in power. Deutsche Welle reports he also cautioned that any new US military action would meet a stronger Iranian response. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Iran had dealt the US a political setback in Washington.

Two senior Iranian sources told Reuters that Iran's leaders welcomed the Democratic win. They said Tehran is on high alert because it worries Trump might answer the defeat with a military strike. Trump declined to rule out resuming combat operations after the vote.

He told Fox News, "I think a part of it was Iran," but added that people also understood the importance of what he has done on Iran. The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, and the war is now in its ninth month. Mediators have stepped up efforts to end it.

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President Trump said on Thursday that people will "know very soon" whether he makes a deal to end the war with Iran or orders new strikes to "destroy what is left" of the country. On Friday he spoke by phone with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, according to the emir's office, which said they discussed diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions. Qatar has been mediating between Washington and Tehran.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, held calls with regional counterparts. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said on Friday that two more oil tankers struck mines and burned in or near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian media had reported on Thursday that five tankers and a tugboat caught fire.

CBS News reports that maritime officials have not confirmed any of the incidents and that Trump has accused Iran of inventing such attacks to push up energy prices. According to Semafor, oil prices briefly neared $100 a barrel. The war began on Feb. 28 with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

CBS News reports that many Gulf capitals fear Trump will order major new strikes, and that the White House had given no information about the call by Friday morning.

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President Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday that he will "soon" decide whether to resume major combat operations in Iran. He prefers to spare the rest of the country, "but maybe I'll have to." Axios, citing two US officials, reports that he met his national security advisers on Thursday, their first session on Iran since Tuesday's midterm elections.

Breitbart News, citing Fox News, reports White House meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, and the Daily Mail, citing multiple reports, says the same. Axios reports that Trump is weighing, at least for now, three options: new strikes, continued economic strangling of Iran's regime, or a deal with significant concessions to Iran. According to Axios, citing regional sources, Qatari mediators are discussing a draft two-day proposal.

On day one, Washington would end its naval blockade and free some of Iran's frozen funds, while Tehran would invite International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to bombed nuclear sites. The Strait of Hormuz would reopen on day two, followed by renewed nuclear talks. Breitbart says neither side has announced acceptance.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in Russia on Thursday that Iran will neither open the strait nor negotiate until the US meets seven conditions. A US official told Axios that Central Command is finalizing preparations to potentially resume major combat operations but has received no new directive.

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The US held midterm elections on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with the war on Iran, which began in late February, hanging over the campaign. On Monday, Trump told host Sean Hannity the conflict is "a very soft war" that the US could end "at any time." The same day, the US struck Qeshm Island, in the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran fired at a US aircraft.

Officials told Fox News the "defensive" strike does not mean a return to full-scale strikes. Trump said he is in no hurry to resume attacks, but Iran will get "the hammer" soon if the latest talks fail. He also said there is a very good chance of a deal.

According to DW, there are reports that the US and Israel are preparing a new round of strikes just after the election. Tehran has warned of a "crushing response" to strikes on underground sites and confirmed indirect contact through Doha and Muscat. The New York Post, citing experts, says Trump has a window of a few weeks after the vote before a new Congress is likely to limit his war powers.

A Fox News report says the Pentagon's estimate of the war's cost to taxpayers tops $47 billion.

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Iran said it has a "maximum deterrence" plan ready against any new US attack and warned of an immediate response. Iran says its military is widening its target lists to take in US and Israeli assets over larger areas. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that any US strategic error would open "a new battlefield" and that the ball is in America's court to prevent war.

His words followed a reported US Air Force strike on an IRGC missile system on Qeshm Island. CENTCOM issued no formal statement on it, and no Iranian official formally confirmed it. On Monday, Trump said Iran wants a settlement "as soon as possible" and a deal "could happen."

Vice President JD Vance reported progress and said no deadline has been set. Tehran's position is that Washington must first end its naval blockade and fully satisfy Iran's demands, and only then can any agreement be reached. Separately, UK Maritime Trade Operations said an oil tanker was struck by two "unknown projectiles" near the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC said three tankers exploded after hitting naval mines while crossing the strait "without permission."

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The Middle East is bracing for a possible return to war between the United States and Iran after the U.S. midterm elections on Tuesday. Mediators led by Qatar have held days of indirect talks. Two Iranian officials said their delegation left Qatar, but messages with the U.S. continue through the mediator.

Tehran says it is waiting for Washington's latest reply to a proposal. Under it, the Strait of Hormuz would be fully opened to shipping within two days, provided the U.S. meets several conditions. Trump said the U.S. still has one or two more potential targets in Iran to "take care of," and later said he may have to give Tehran "the hammer."

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, said the response to any threat should be immediate and without "geographic limits." Trump said he had a "very good" call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and gave no details. Just the News reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump has made no decision while talks continue, but that the U.S. is ready for a military response.

Just the News also reports U.S. strikes on Monday against Iranians using surface-to-air missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, citing AP. Semafor reports a U.S. strike on Iran's Qeshm Island, reportedly after Iranian fire at an American plane.

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The US military struck Iranian targets on Qeshm Island, in the Strait of Hormuz, on Monday, the eve of Tuesday's US midterm elections. US officials described the strikes as limited and defensive, aimed at Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against US assets, and said they did not mark a return to major combat. Iranian state media reported explosions on Qeshm and also on Hengam island and near Bandar Abbas.

The strikes were not publicly announced. Trump had earlier said the US would not strike Iran before the midterms. Talks continue through Qatari mediators.

Vice President Vance said he and Trump feel "pretty good" about a possible negotiated settlement. On Tuesday, Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said Iran had delivered a "firm and rational response" and that the US must now prevent war. The war began Feb. 28 with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Separately, Trump told Fox News on Tuesday that the US will stop paying Israel $4 billion a year, by year's end, under a deal he says he made with Netanyahu.

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The Atlantic reported on Monday that President Trump has been asking allies how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are doing their jobs. The report came ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections. One outside adviser told the magazine, "Hegseth is good at telling the president what he wants to hear."

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell rejected the account. He said Hegseth always gives the president the full operational picture, and he told the Independent the outcome of operations in Iran is a "decisive success." The US and Israel began the war on Feb. 28, and at least 23 US soldiers have been killed, according to the Independent.

In the run-up to the midterms, Hegseth fired Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Pentagon's top war planner. The Daily Mail, citing officials, says Sylvia failed lie-detector tests tied to a leak inquiry. Trump is weighing renewed combat against Iran after the midterms.

The Daily Mail says advisers said a new round of strikes could come within days of the vote. If Trump strikes, it reports, the choices run from a few hours to several weeks. The other options it lists are keeping the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in place while threatening more, or walking away.

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The United States has reportedly told several Gulf and Middle East countries to prepare for possible new strikes on Iran after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The New York Post, citing the Wall Street Journal, says the message described a brief, intense round of attacks meant to push Tehran back toward talks. The Washington Times, citing two diplomats who spoke to the AP, says allies were also told Iran might retaliate against them.

At a rally last week, Trump said he "may do another little Epic Fury," the name of the February campaign. Separately, on Friday, Qatari mediators were in Tehran seeking a US-Iran deal, according to Axios, CBS News and Breitbart. Axios reports more than 12 hours of talks, with a diplomatic source citing "positive progress," and discussions moving to Doha on Saturday.

Axios and Breitbart say the sides remain apart over nuclear concessions and the US naval blockade. CBS reports Trump saying the war will "get wrapped up soon." The New York Post's sources say it is unclear whether Trump has decided to renew strikes.

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Vice President JD Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, aimed at restarting US-Iran peace talks. The Wall Street Journal first reported it and said Trump directed it. A US official told Axios the letter stresses that any negotiations must include the nuclear issue.

The Guardian reports it went out Sunday after mainly Qatari mediation and makes upfront Iranian nuclear commitments the opening step of a process in which the Strait of Hormuz would reopen within a week and the US would grant sanctions relief. The Guardian adds that Iran resists irreversible first steps, and that its negotiator Mohammad Ghalibaf wrote that progress needs agreement on seven Iranian conditions. Axios says Iran wants the US to lift its sea blockade, return frozen money and permit oil sales first, while Washington wants nuclear talks before sanctions relief.

The letter comes as Trump weighs resuming major combat after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Trump told reporters Wednesday that Vance asked what he thought and he said it was OK, describing the letter as about getting supplies to people who are unwell. Outlets frame his remarks differently: the Washington Examiner calls them a denial that he directed Vance, the New York Post a confirmation of the outreach.

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