American military forces executed targeted operations against Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday, marking the latest wave in a sequence of constrained engagements over recent weeks. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump maintained during a televised Fox News appearance that the United States is not actively engaged in conflict, rhetorically asking when the military last fired a projectile.

According to reports from the Wall Street Journal citing anonymous American insiders, the Monday operation in the Strait of Hormuz formed part of a broader campaign of localized strikes directed at Iranian infrastructure throughout the preceding weeks.

A CNN source within the U.S. government characterized the actions as a defensive measure designed to thwart Iranian attempts to deploy surface-to-air weaponry against American military hardware.

The Journal further disclosed that Monday's skirmishes involved an American fighter aircraft returning fire after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted it with a surface-to-air missile. Simultaneously, U.S. assets intercepted an incoming projectile launched from Qeshm Island toward commercial shipping vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz.

While U.S. Central Command withheld official public confirmation regarding these specific operations, administration figures have frequently alluded to ongoing discussions aimed at securing a diplomatic resolution to the hostilities.

Concurrently, state media outlets inside Iran verified that multiple explosions shook Qeshm Island on Monday.

What Did Trump Say In His Fox News Interview?

While American units carried out localized offensives against Iranian positions, President Trump pushed back against narratives framing the bilateral tensions as an active war during a discussion with Sean Hannity on Fox News. Challenging the terminology, Trump remarked to Hannity about historical conflicts like World War I and World War II, questioning the frequency of recent combat. Asserting that the nation was exempt from warfare, Trump described the situation as a soft war characterized by months of zero shooting, omitting any mention of the ongoing operational strikes executed by U.S. personnel against Iranian military targets.

During the broadcast, Trump asserted that American forces had neutralized 159 Iranian vessels, effectively dismantling the nation's naval capabilities alongside its air force and air defense systems. Although acknowledging that Tehran retained limited stockpiles of drones and missiles, he argued their manufacturing capacity was severely restricted. Describing the current climate as devoid of raging conflict, Trump cautioned that escalation remained possible absent a diplomatic breakthrough, adding that Tehran was eager to reach an accord. He also floated the possibility of targeting Pickaxe Mountain—a subterranean installation tied to Iran's nuclear infrastructure—asserting that any such mission would conclude within sixty minutes.

What Did Trump Say About The Iran War Earlier On Monday?

Addressing the public near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool earlier that same day, Trump reiterated similar assertions, boldly proclaiming that the U.S. had secured victory in the conflict. He emphasized the absence of active combat operations for several months and reaffirmed American dominance over the Strait of Hormuz. When queried by press members regarding potential military resumptions following Tuesday's midterm elections, Trump offered a definitive negative. Additionally, via a Truth Social statement on Monday, he highlighted plummeting petroleum costs, noting a nearly $10 per-barrel drop as global markets priced in an end to hostilities. Asserting that Tehran sought an immediate settlement, the global benchmark Brent Crude futures plummeted roughly 8% to settle at $104.77 per barrel on Monday before experiencing slight upward adjustments in early Tuesday sessions following reports of the fresh U.S. strikes.

Earlier on Monday, related remarks were issued regarding diplomatic channels, with officials noting constructive dialogues with Iranian representatives and expressing optimism regarding the viability of a negotiated settlement.