Trump confirms US struck air defence device on Qeshm

President Donald Trump said on Friday that US forces knocked out an anti-aircraft device on Qeshm Island, confirming that the explosions reported there earlier in the day were a US strike he described as minor.

Why it matters: The confirmation turns a report sourced only to Iranian media into an acknowledged US strike at the Strait of Hormuz, the first since Tuesday's midterm elections, and it lands while Trump says talks with Iran continue.

Data as of Update of November 6, 2026, 23:12 Toronto: Yonhap News Agency report of November 7, 2026 (in Korean), read in full via the estate browser route, for the Iranian military's claim that it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over Qeshm Island; Yonhap reports no US confirmation, the claim comes from a party to the conflict and is uncorroborated, so it is carried at evidence grade C. Update of November 6, 2026, 22:43 Toronto: Guardian report of November 7, 2026, by Guardian staff and agencies with the Associated Press, read in full via the estate browser route, for Trump's confirmation of the strike, the Suza area location from Iranian state media, the Central Command reward offer and the Qatari calls. Earlier: TASS report of November 6, 2026 (in Russian), read in full via the estate browser route, citing Iran's Press TV for the explosions and the Tasnim agency for two missiles falling on the island; Anadolu Agency report of November 6, 2026 (in Turkish), read in full via the estate browser route, citing the Iranian press generally. Both chains originate with Iranian media, a party to the conflict, and no independent source or Iranian official statement had corroborated a strike, a cause or any casualties at publication, so that part of the item was carried at evidence grade C at first publication. Developing item.

Latest: President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that the United States had carried out the strike, saying Iran had built a small anti-aircraft device and US forces knocked it out in minutes. The Guardian, reporting with the Associated Press, said Iranian state media reported the sound of two explosions in the Suza area of Qeshm Island, and described the action as the first US strike on Iran since Tuesday’s midterm elections. The article reported no casualties and no damage beyond the device Trump described.

Iran’s military has claimed it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over Qeshm Island, Yonhap News Agency reported early on Saturday. The United States has not confirmed any drone loss, and no independent source has corroborated the claim, which comes from a party to the conflict and is carried here at evidence grade C.

Trump also said the United States is talking to Iran and that mediators’ discussions continue. Late on Friday, US Central Command said on X that the United States is offering a reward of up to $20 million and possible relocation for information about Iran’s nuclear programme, and Qatar’s government said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, after Trump and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, discussed efforts to end the tensions. Qatar has been mediating between the United States and Iran.

Explosions were reported on Iran’s Qeshm Island on Friday, according to Iran’s Press TV, cited by TASS. The Tasnim agency had earlier reported that two missiles fell on the island, flying in from the Persian Gulf side, TASS said, and there was no official information about casualties.

Anadolu Agency, citing the Iranian press, reported explosion sounds near Qeshm and near the city of Bandar Khamir, and said residents of Qeshm heard the sound of a warplane and that two missile like objects hit the island. Anadolu said the Iranian reporting raised the possibility that the sounds were Iranian warning shots at ships using the alternative southern route through the Strait of Hormuz, and that no official statement had yet been made. Neither report names who fired anything, and no independent source had confirmed a strike at publication.

Trump confirms US struck air defence device on Qeshm

Sources