The United States launched limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island late on Monday, the Guardian reports. The strikes were reported earlier by the Wall Street Journal. CNBC reports that a US official spoke to MS NOW about the strikes. US Central Command did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, the Guardian says.

The US official quoted by MS NOW called the strikes "a defensive measure" in response to "Iranians using surface to air missiles against US assets," CNBC reports. The Guardian reports that the strikes targeted surface-to-air missiles being used against US assets, according to Reuters and the Associated Press.

Several explosions were heard on Qeshm Island on Monday evening, according to Iranian state media, the Guardian reports. Local outlets described their cause as unclear, the Guardian says.

The Journal reported that the United States has carried out limited strikes against Iran in recent weeks that were not made public, CNBC and the Guardian report. Those strikes were kept quiet so as not to signal any plan to restart the wider military campaign, the Guardian says, citing the Journal.

Qeshm, off Iran's southern coast, is the largest island in the Persian Gulf, CNBC reports. It sits near the Strait of Hormuz. The Guardian says the island has been used in the past to launch attacks on shipping in the waterway.

Hours before the strikes, Vance said he and Trump were hopeful about "potentially coming to a negotiated settlement" with Iran, CNBC and the Guardian report. Vance also called Iranians "unpredictable" and said Trump keeps military and other options, CNBC reports.

A senior Iranian official said to Reuters that Tehran would respond forcefully to US aggression and that the two sides remained far from a deal, CNBC reports.

What we know: Officials quoted by US outlets say strikes hit Qeshm Island on Monday.
What we don't know: What the strikes hit or damaged. The cited outlets do not report an account from US Central Command.