Washington Strikes Iranian Targets in Strait of Hormuz as Negotiations Loom
Key Facts
A U.S. official confirmed that the United States struck Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iranian media reported hearing explosions in Qeshm, Hengam and Bandar Abbas, according to the Associated Press on November 3. One U.S. official described the operation as limited, and another said its targets were Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against the United States in the strait. The strikes put the confrontation at the heart of a maritime passage through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies pass in peacetime. The escalation coincided with signals that the diplomatic track between Washington and Tehran could resume. According to the information available, officials did not say that protecting commercial vessels was the operation’s stated aim.
Iran said it has a two-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear talks with the United States if Washington meets its demands. The proposal puts the strait and nuclear negotiations at the center of any potential understanding, as the region sees military action and a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. Regional officials said mediators are trying to advance a framework under which Iranian attacks on the strait would end in exchange for the United States lifting its blockade of Iranian ports. They added that further talks are scheduled during the week. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on November 2 that contacts through mediators were ongoing and intensive, but talks between Iran and the United States with Qatari mediators ended without a breakthrough, while contacts continued.
In Washington, Vice President JD Vance said he and President Donald Trump were optimistic about the possibility of reaching a negotiated settlement. Vance said: "The president and I feel very good about the prospects of reaching a negotiated settlement." The remarks point to a parallel negotiating track amid the escalation, without resolving the outcome of the contacts or the terms of a deal. Meanwhile, Iranian media quoted parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf as saying the United States holds the key to preventing a renewed conflict and that Iran is ready "for battle, with its finger on the trigger." These positions leave the possibility of de-escalation open alongside warnings that confrontation could return.
Concerns about shipping add to the backdrop of disruption to energy flows through the strait. In a report released in August, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated that oil flows through Hormuz fell from 21.6 million barrels per day in the fourth quarter of 2025 to 4.9 million barrels per day in the second quarter of 2026. Liquefied natural gas flows also fell from 10.5 billion cubic feet per day to 0.8 billion cubic feet per day over the same periods. The report thus compares flow levels across two specified periods, while the safety of the passage matters beyond the direct military confrontation because of its share of global oil trade. This context does not change the fact that the figures refer to the quarters cited, and are not a measure of shipping activity on the day of the strikes.
In regional reactions, the Associated Press said an attack by an unidentified aerial object targeted an Indian-flagged vessel off the coast of Oman on Monday, killing an Indian national and prompting the rescue of 13 others. No party claimed responsibility for the attack. China urged the parties to resolve their differences through dialogue, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning saying military means would not solve problems and would aggravate tensions. Beijing announced it would send a special envoy to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in early or mid-November. The initiative comes amid regional and international diplomatic efforts alongside the strikes and mediation efforts.
On the military deployment front, the Associated Press said a third U.S. aircraft carrier and thousands of additional troops were heading to the Middle East, as the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continued. This adds to signs of an expanded U.S. military presence as a negotiating framework is being discussed. In oil markets, Trump said in a statement published on November 2 that prices had fallen "sharply" by about $10 a barrel, attributing the drop to people believing there would be no war with Iran. This is Trump’s account of the price move and its cause, not an independent market figure for the day of the strikes. Supply watchers are awaiting the U.S. inventories report; the Energy Information Administration’s schedule lists November 12 as the rescheduled release date for its weekly petroleum status report because of the Veterans Day holiday.