U.S. hammers Iranian targets after ceasefire fails: Iran retaliates with strikes on Bahrain

July 9, 2026 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – The US military has carried out a series of fresh strikes on Iran after Iran once again attacked three cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. Iran has responded to the U.S. strikes with attacks of its own on Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain.

President Donald Trump has declared that the ceasefire with Iran is "over."

"I think it's over" said President Trump of the preliminary Memorandum of Understanding signed in June. He said that negotiations at this point are the "de-nuking of Iran."

"This is in retribution for yesterday's bombing of ships by Iran," said Trump. "If it happens again, it will get much worse!"

The Iranian Port city of Bandar Abbas was targeted because it is being used as a base for Iranian speedboats that have attacked international shipping in violation of the June preliminary ceasefire.

"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) 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 U.S. military's Middle East command, wrote on X. "The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway."

The U.S. has executed two nights of intense offensive airstrikes across Iran, hitting roughly 170 military targets.

CENTCOM's stated objective is to dismantle Iran's security apparatus and permanently degrade its ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. military has struck 80 distinct military targets on Iran's coast targeting it's Navy and the Revolutionary Guard with precision munitions on the first night.

CENTCOM claims that it has destroyed more than 60 IRGC small boats.

Night two was even larger with expanded targets. The second wave of U.S. strikes struck 90 military targets. This time the target included coastal surveillance assets, air defense systems, command and control networks, military logistics hubs, and major drone and missile storage facilities.

A U.S. military official briefing reporters on the strikes warned that everything now hinges on what Tehran does next.

"If they continue firing, what happened last night could become a daily or even weekly occurrence. We are prepared."

Iran followed those attacks by launching ballistic missiles and drones at U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. They have also targeted U.S. bases in Kuwait and Qatar.

The renewed fighting sent oil prices higher, rising about 1% to $78.80 a barrel.

Iran has sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council denouncing the U.S. strikes.

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