U.S. secretly conducted limited strikes on Iran for weeks as Trump administration sought to conceal military operations before midterm elections, WSJ reports

The U.S. military carried out a series of limited, unannounced strikes against Iranian targets in the weeks leading up to the November 3 midterm elections, while senior officials in President Donald Trump’s administration sought to keep the operations out of public view, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper reported on Thursday, November 5, that American forces targeted missile launchers and other military equipment in operations designed to limit Iran’s military capabilities while avoiding casualties.

Administration officials discussed the political implications of publicly acknowledging the continuing attacks, amid concerns that renewed attention to military operations against Iran could further damage Republican prospects in the elections.

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio participated in discussions over the approach, which Trump reportedly approved.

One of the previously undisclosed operations took place on November 2, when American forces struck targets on Iran’s Qeshm Island, near the Strait of Hormuz, a day before Americans went to the polls.

U.S. officials described the Qeshm operation as defensive, saying Iranian forces had fired a surface-to-air missile at an American fighter aircraft, prompting a military response.

The island, strategically located near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, hosts Iranian military facilities, including missile installations and a naval base.

Unlike earlier phases of the conflict, Washington did not publicly announce the recent strikes. American officials have described the operations as limited actions intended to protect U.S. forces and commercial shipping rather than a return to a full-scale military campaign.

Trump publicly played down the possibility of renewed fighting before the election, telling reporters on November 2 that American forces had not been engaged in combat for months.

The president has since acknowledged that the Iran war contributed to Republican electoral losses, particularly through its effect on gasoline prices, while continuing to defend his decision to launch the conflict.

The military operations took place as Washington maintained diplomatic contacts aimed at ending hostilities with Tehran, with senior administration officials divided over whether to pursue further strikes or a negotiated settlement.