Anti-Aircraft Facility Hit as Trump Confirms Strikes on Iran
US President Donald Trump confirmed launching airstrikes on Tuesday against a newly completed anti-aircraft facility on Qeshm Island, as regional diplomats and energy markets braced for renewed instability. Iranian officials and international mediators responded by pressing forward with indirect negotiations to avert a wider escalation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Doha Mediators Push Interim Deal as Tehran Demands Strait Conditions
Iranian state news agency IRNA reported five explosions in rapid succession on Qeshm Island following the overnight raids, which Trump described in a television interview as a minor attack on a completed installation. Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari told reporters that Doha remains hopeful of securing an interim deal, noting that both parties are actively reviewing proposals facilitated through real-time exchanges. Meanwhile, Iranian chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated in a televised speech that the Islamic Republic remains ready for battle, asserting that the ball is now in America’s court to prevent further conflict. A senior Iranian official added that Tehran could reopen the vital oil and gas transit route within two days if Washington meets its long-standing demands, which include ending military operations on all fronts.
The strikes follow months of military stalemate stemming from the offensive launched by the United States and Israel in late February.
