The United States carried out another round of military strikes on Iran on Wednesday, saying the action was aimed at protecting commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after three cargo vessels were attacked a day earlier. The latest escalation came just hours after US President Donald Trump declared that the interim agreement to end the conflict with Iran was “over”.
According to the US military, the strikes were intended to weaken Iran’s ability to threaten one of the world’s busiest maritime routes.
“US Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM, the US military’s Middle East command, wrote on X.
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At the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 8, 2026
“The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway.”
U.S. Central Command forces have begun launching a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway. The U.S. strikes are in response to Iranian attacks on three…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 7, 2026
A US official told Reuters that Wednesday’s operation would be larger than the strikes carried out a day earlier. Trump also warned of tougher action if such attacks continued, writing on Truth Social, “This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!”
Trump says interim agreement is over
Speaking before the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump signalled that the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 had effectively collapsed.
Asked whether the agreement was still valid, he said, “It’s a very interesting question. To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them.”
He later added, “If we make a deal with ran I’m not sure that will stick,” Trump later said. “I found them to be very dishonourable people.”
Despite his remarks, Trump said he did not expect the conflict to return to full-scale war. “Anything that happens is going to be over very quickly … and will only make it safer, including for oil.”
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Iran warns of retaliation
Iran has not claimed responsibility for the attacks on the cargo ships, though analysts cited by Reuters have long said Tehran uses pressure on shipping lanes as leverage during periods of heightened tensions. Iranian media reported that Tehran had responded by targeting US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait after earlier American strikes.
Nournews, which is affiliated with Iran’s top security body, quoted a military source as saying Tehran would soon launch a “massive attack” on US bases in the region. That warning was echoed by Mohsen Rezaei, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who wrote on X, “The aggressor enemy and its accomplices will be severely punished.”
Which areas in Iran have been hit?
Iranian media reported strikes across several locations along the country’s southern coastline, including Bandar Abbas, Konarak and Chabahar. Bandar Abbas hosts Iran’s largest port as well as key naval and Revolutionary Guards facilities overlooking the Strait of Hormuz.
In Chabahar, electricity was restored to most areas after the strikes disrupted power supply, while reports said a maritime traffic control tower was damaged. State media also reported that a firefighter was killed in a strike on the airport in Iranshahr. Separately, Press TV said a railway bridge near Aqqala in northern Iran was also hit.
Meanwhile, Iran accused Washington of violating the June 17 memorandum of understanding. In a letter to the UN Security Council, Iran’s mission said the US attacks amounted to a “blatant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and its international obligations.”
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Iranian officials also said possible responses under consideration include withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, changing the country’s nuclear doctrine and closing the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, another strategically important global shipping route.
FAQs:
Why did the US launch fresh strikes on Iran?
The US said the strikes were in response to attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
What did Donald Trump say about the Iran agreement?
Trump said he believes the interim agreement with Iran is “over” and questioned the prospects of a lasting deal.
