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The US carried out limited 'defensive' strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday as Trump signaled progress in talks aimed at avoiding a return to war. A US official said the strikes were not a resumption of major combat operations, and another official said they responded to Iranians firing surface-to-air missiles at US assets. Al-Monitor, citing the Wall Street Journal, reported the strikes first. Trump signaled progress in the talks on Monday, and Tehran reported intensive exchanges and offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under strict conditions. Al-Monitor reported the diplomatic signals came ahead of US midterm elections on Tuesday, where Trump's Republican Party faces voter dissatisfaction over the conflict and soaring fuel prices. Iran International reported that a letter from US Vice President JD Vance to national security chief Mohsen Rezaei fueled speculation that Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf is being sidelined as Tehran's chief negotiator. Iranian officials deny any change in the negotiating structure.