Crosswire — November 04, 2026
Daily Briefing
GEOPOLITICS
US Strikes Iran's Qeshm Island on the Eve of the Midterms
What happened:
US officials describe "limited and defensive" strikes on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. They say the strikes responded to the IRGC firing on a US aircraft. The Pentagon has not formally commented.
Iranian state media reported explosions on the island. The IRGC claims it downed two MQM-170 target drones and one MQ-9 Reaper. Neither side's account has been independently verified.
Background: The war began with the US-Israeli attack on Iran in February. A June deal to reopen the Strait…
The skinny
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