Two missiles struck Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of Saturday, 7 November, Iranian media reported, in the latest incident on the strategically vital waterway during the war between the United States and Iran. There was no official word on damage or casualties, and no side has said who fired the missiles.
Iran's official news agency IRNA said local witnesses reported that two projectiles struck the Suza area of the island after the sound of an aircraft was heard overhead. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said initial reports indicated two missiles had hit the island, adding that there was no official information on possible damage and that further details would follow once the relevant authorities confirmed the incident.
Semi-official Iranian outlets reported that there were no casualties, according to Al Jazeera. Local and provincial authorities had not commented on the details of the incident, IRNA said.
What we know so far
- Two missiles or projectiles hit Qeshm Island, in the Suza area, in the early hours of Saturday local time, according to IRNA and Tasnim.
- Witnesses reported hearing an aircraft over the island before the impacts, IRNA said.
- No official damage assessment has been released. Tasnim said there was no official information on possible damage, and semi-official outlets reported no casualties.
- Iran's military says it shot down a US drone over the island — a claim that has not been confirmed by the United States.
- US Central Command described the situation as "relatively calm" and said it would issue an announcement about Iran later on Saturday.
What is not yet known
Who fired the missiles has not been established. Neither Iranian nor US officials have said who was responsible, and no damage assessment has been published. Reports of explosions near the port city of Bandar Khamir, on the mainland opposite Qeshm, have also circulated without official confirmation. Until an official statement is issued, the cause and the target of the strikes remain unverified.
Iran claims it downed a US drone
Shortly after the missile reports, Iran's army said its air defences had intercepted and destroyed an American MQ-9 drone over Qeshm Island, according to a statement reported by state broadcaster IRIB. Al Jazeera reported the claim, which has not been independently confirmed and has not been addressed by the US military.
The claim echoes an incident four days earlier. On 3 November, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had shot down a US MQ-9 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz, and the US then carried out what officials described as limited "defensive strikes" on Qeshm Island. The Wall Street Journal first reported those strikes, and US officials confirmed them, saying Iranian forces had fired a surface-to-air missile at an American aircraft.
Why the drone claim matters: drones have been at the centre of the recent exchanges around the strait. Iran has repeatedly claimed to have brought down American unmanned aircraft, and the US strikes on 3 November were presented as a direct response to Iranian fire on a US aircraft. Whether a drone was actually destroyed in Saturday's incident is unconfirmed, and the US has not commented on the claim.
US military: situation "relatively calm"
US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American forces in the Middle East, told Al Jazeera that the situation around Qeshm Island was "relatively calm" and that it was aware of the reports, adding that it had no further comment.
The situation is "relatively calm" — US Central Command, responding to reports of explosions on Qeshm Island.
A CENTCOM official indicated that the command would issue an announcement concerning Iran at 8:30am Eastern Time on Saturday — 13:30 GMT, or 18:30 in Pakistan — but declined to say what it would contain.
The diplomacy track continues
The incident came as diplomatic efforts to end the war continued. President Donald Trump said the United States was talking to Tehran's representatives, after he held a phone call with Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Al Jazeera reported.
On Saturday, Qatar's International Media Office denied circulating reports that the United States and Iran had failed to reach an agreement to end the war, describing those allegations as false and misleading, Reuters reported. The office said Qatar's prime minister had affirmed that both sides continued to work towards an agreement, and that Qatari mediation efforts were ongoing in close coordination with Washington and Tehran.
The dual track — military incidents in the strait alongside active negotiations — has defined the war's recent weeks. The US has carried out a series of limited strikes on Iranian targets while insisting they do not amount to a resumption of its wider military campaign, and Iran has continued to rebuild its missile capability. BBC Verify reported on Friday that satellite images show Iran carrying out major construction at its Garmdareh and Shahroud missile bases, with repairs under way at at least 12 other military sites damaged by US and Israeli strikes.
Why Qeshm matters
Qeshm is Iran's largest island, sitting in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which a large share of the world's seaborne oil passes. The island is a key platform for Iran's naval forces in the strait and has been struck repeatedly during the war: the US first hit a desalination plant there on 7 March, one week into the war, and again on 2 June, before the "defensive strikes" of 3 November. Iran claimed earlier in the week that three tankers had been struck in the strait — a claim reported by Al Jazeera that has not been independently confirmed.
That history is why even an incident with no confirmed damage draws immediate attention: any clash on Qeshm raises the risk of disruption in the strait and of a wider escalation while negotiations are still under way.
Timeline: Qeshm Island and the war
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| February 2026 | War begins, with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. |
| 7 March 2026 | US strikes a desalination plant on Qeshm Island, one week into the war. |
| 2 June 2026 | Qeshm Island struck again by the US. |
| 3 November 2026 | US carries out limited "defensive strikes" on Qeshm after Iran fires at a US aircraft; Iran claims an MQ-9 drone downed. |
| 5 November 2026 | Iran claims three tankers were struck in the Strait of Hormuz. |
| 6 November 2026 | BBC Verify reports satellite images show Iran rebuilding missile bases at Garmdareh and Shahroud. |
| 7 November 2026 | Two missiles strike Qeshm Island; Iran claims a US MQ-9 drone downed; CENTCOM says the situation is "relatively calm". |
Frequently asked questions
What happened on Qeshm Island?
Iranian media reported that two missiles struck the island in the early hours of Saturday, 7 November, in the Suza area, after witnesses heard an aircraft overhead. There is no official confirmation of damage or casualties.
Who fired the missiles?
That has not been established. No side has claimed responsibility, and neither Iranian nor US officials have said who was behind the strikes. Any attribution at this stage would be speculation.
Was anyone hurt?
Semi-official Iranian outlets reported no casualties, according to Al Jazeera, but there has been no official casualty statement and no damage assessment has been published.
Did Iran really shoot down a US drone?
Iran's army says its air defences destroyed an American MQ-9 drone over Qeshm, according to state broadcaster IRIB. The claim has not been independently confirmed, and the US military has not commented on it. It should be treated as an Iranian claim, not an established fact.
Is this a return to full-scale war?
Not on the evidence so far. The US has described its recent strikes around Qeshm as limited and defensive, and both sides are still engaged in diplomacy through Qatar. But the pattern of incidents in the strait — strikes, drone claims and tanker attacks — keeps the risk of escalation high while talks continue.
Key takeaways
- Two missiles struck Iran's Qeshm Island early on Saturday, 7 November, according to Iranian media; damage and casualties are unconfirmed.
- Who fired the missiles is unknown — no side has claimed responsibility and no official statement has been issued.
- Iran claims it shot down a US MQ-9 drone over the island; the claim is unconfirmed and the US has not commented on it.
- US Central Command called the situation "relatively calm" and will issue an announcement on Iran later on Saturday.
- Diplomacy continues in parallel: Trump says the US is talking to Tehran's representatives, and Qatar says mediation is ongoing.
What to watch next
US Central Command's announcement on Iran, expected at 13:30 GMT on Saturday, is the next scheduled signal — it may clarify the US account of the incident. An official Iranian statement, a damage assessment from Qeshm, and any confirmation or denial of the drone claim would fill the biggest gaps in the story. Beyond Saturday, the question is whether the incident stays contained, as the 3 November exchange did, or whether it interrupts the Qatar-mediated talks both sides say are continuing.
