US hits military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island, Vance says no change to strategy

BUDAPEST/WASHINGTON, April 7 (Reuters) – The U.S. attack on Iran’s Kharg Island does not represent a change in American strategy. Vice President J.D. Vance said on Tuesday that additional strikes on military targets did not affect oil infrastructure, a U.S. official also told Reuters.

The official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said that at least some of the attacks targeted areas that had been previously hit, and that the attack occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Speaking separately in Budapest, Vance said the attacks did not represent a change in US strategy and that the Trump administration was confident it could get a response from Iran by 20:00 (0001 Wednesday GMT) in negotiations to end the conflict. US President Donald Trump demands that Iran give up nuclear weapons and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit route.

“We were going to hit some military targets on Kharg Island, and I believe we did that,” Vance said.

“We will not hit energy and infrastructure targets until the Iranians make an offer or make an offer that we can stand behind,” he added. “I don’t think the news on Kharg Island represents a change in strategy or any change from the President of the United States.”

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in Washington, Humeyra Pamuk in Budapest; Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Bhargav Acharya; Writing by Susan Heavey, Editing by Michelle Nichols)