US strikes Iran despite diplomatic push - Semafor

The US attacked Iran’s Qeshm Island, the latest in a series of targeted strikes that came even as President Donald Trump pushed for an off-ramp in his war with Tehran. Officials in Washington reportedly kept the strikes — intended to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open — under wraps to avoid signalling a major resumption of hostilities on the eve of the US midterm elections; the surging cost of living sparked by the Iran war is topping voters’ concerns.

While traffic along the key waterway remains a shadow of its prewar levels, Gulf countries are finding ways to export their oil and gas: Saudi Aramco’s third-quarter net profits surged by more than a third compared to the same period last year.