US Launches Fresh Strikes on Iran; Trump Says Conflict May End Quickly
The United States carried out new military strikes against Iran on Wednesday (July 8, 2026), following President Donald Trump's declaration that the ceasefire was "over" and his promise to hit the country "hard" after attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes aimed to degrade Iranian forces' ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the strategic waterway, through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes. In a statement, CENTCOM said the United States is holding Iran accountable for "recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping."
Iran's Mehr news agency reported explosions in the port cities of Bandar Abbas, Konarak, and Chabahar. Iranian state television said eight military personnel were killed in the US strikes. CENTCOM said it hit more than 80 targets on Tuesday, including air-defence systems, coastal radar sites, and 60 small boats belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Before ordering the new strikes, Mr. Trump told a NATO summit in Ankara: "We're gonna hit 'em hard tonight." However, he later added that "anything that happens is going to be over very quickly," leaving the door open for further talks. Oil prices jumped eight percent after his initial comments.
Iran retaliated on Tuesday by striking dozens of US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain, according to Iranian state media. Kuwait said it intercepted two ballistic missiles and 13 drones. The Iranian army also claimed it attacked US forces at Sheikh Isa air base in Bahrain. A US military official said on Wednesday that all missiles and drones fired by Iran were intercepted or failed to cause major damage, and there were no American casualties.
The latest escalation follows weeks of tension in the West Asia region, which began in late February with US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. He is to be buried in his hometown of Mashhad on Thursday (July 9, 2026). Iran has insisted on controlling the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to charge fees for passage and to hit vessels deviating from its authorised route. Its military struck at least three ships in recent days.
Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation continued. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all parties to exercise "maximum restraint." Pakistan, a key mediator in US-Iran talks, and Qatar also urged restraint. Iran said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Qatar's Prime Minister discussed the need for diplomatic solutions. Oman, which sits across the strait from Iran, condemned attacks on shipping but avoided blaming Tehran, maintaining its neutrality.
In Bahrain, civil servant Nawal Saad expressed fear of war returning, saying: "I do not want to go through that experience of fear and anxiety again."
