U.S. strikes Iran hours before polls open as Trump ends aid to Israel

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(The Center Square) – Hours before polls opened Tuesday across the country, the U.S. military quietly launched strikes on Iran, marking the first time in months, as President Donald Trump announced the end of aid for Israel.

On the eve of a pivotal election, the U.S. military carried out defensive strikes, targeting the Islamic Republic’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, according to multiple reports. The strikes reportedly were in response to Iran targeting American aircraft.

U.S. Central Command has been publicly mum on the recent strikes, with no indication of whether the strikes were isolated or part of a larger campaign.

News of the strikes came hours after Trump told reporters Monday that he wasn’t planning to strike Iran following the elections. The president has noted that he is weighing options against the Islamic Republic, including massive strikes or a potential deal.

In recent months, the U.S. has been maintaining financial pressure on the Islamic Republic, and the complete naval blockade on Iranian ports is costing its economy between $400 million and $500 million a day in economic losses, as the country cannot export oil, the Trump administration estimates.

The Pentagon estimates that Operation Epic Fury, which began with joint U.S./Israeli strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, has cost at least $33.4 billion.

In addition to the strikes against Iran, the president told Fox News Tuesday morning that the U.S. would be ending an annual $4 billion in aid to Israel by the end of the year. Trump said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made the decision together.

The president did leave the door open to restoring aid if Israel ever needed it. He commended Israel as a great U.S. ally, calling the country a success and adding that it doesn’t need the aid.