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The Wall Street Journal said that the US military has secretly carried out several limited attacks on Iran in recent weeks, and bombed Qeshm Island again on the 2nd. Trump has publicly downplayed the possibility of another war, but the government is still evaluating options such as airstrikes and sanctions.
The Wall Street Journal exclusively reports that the President of the United Statestrump There is a possibility of reaching an agreement through diplomatic channels. However, US officials said US forces attacked on the 2ndiran Qeshm Island is the latest in a series of limited attacks secretly launched by the United States against Iran in recent weeks.
Before the US military launched the attack, Trump had downplayed the possibility of a renewed war between the United States and Iran after the midterm elections on March 3. He told reporters on the 2nd: “We fought a war with Iran. We won. I don’t even know if it was a war because we haven’t fought for several months.”
However, US officials said the US military has continued to launch small-scale strikes against Iran over the past few weeks. There were also reports on social media about the explosion around Qeshm Island on the 2nd. Some officials said the attacks were defensive operations aimed at preventing Iran from indiscriminately attacking merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Unlike the first war, the United States did not publicly announce these attacks. A US official said the US deliberately kept a low profile to avoid signaling that it intended to resume large-scale operations. Another US official said the government continued to respond to threats to US forces in the region. The US Defense Department referred inquiries to US Central Command (CENTCOM), which did not immediately respond.
Trump has been saying for the past few weeks that the United States could resume full-scale war with Iran after the midterm elections. Top government officials continue to discuss the pros and cons of further airstrikes and have offered Trump several options, including strengthening economic sanctions and tightening the trade blockade with Iran. However, Trump slowed down his tough rhetoric just hours before the midterm elections. He and Vice President Van Siddu said that continued negotiations could work to end Iran’s nuclear program. Trump also said on social media that oil prices are falling because “people think” that the United States will not go to war with Iran again.
On the 2nd, when Trump was asked whether he would consider attacking Iran after the midterm elections, he replied “No.” However, administration officials said Trump was still considering all options.
Summary FAQ
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Reports indicate that the US military has continued to launch small-scale, limited strikes against Iran in recent weeks and on the 2nd it attacked Qeshm Island. These actions were not publicly announced as they were in the early days of the war, indicating that the United States deliberately kept a low profile.
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Trump downplayed the possibility of another war before the attack, saying that the United States and Iran had not been at war for several months; But administration officials said they were still considering all options, including further airstrikes, tougher sanctions and a tough trade blockade.
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Some officials said the strikes were intended to deter Iran from indiscriminately attacking merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz and to respond to threats to U.S. forces in the region. The United States also avoids high-profile announcements to avoid external interpretations that it will resume large-scale operations.
