On Wednesday night, U.S. Central Command announced that it had carried out another round of strikes against Iran after a ceasefire signed last month was terminated.
The strikes were apparently much more wide-ranging than strikes carried out on Tuesday night, which had hit roughly 60 targets in an attempt to weaken Iran’s ability to hit ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The volley between U.S. and Iranian forces began after several tankers were hit by Iranian missiles near the narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes during peacetime.
CENTCOM announced shortly after 11 p.m. Eastern Time that its forces “completed an additional round of strikes against Iran, July 8, to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz.”
“U.S. forces struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets including air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline. The latest strikes follow successful execution of offensive strikes in Iran the night before.”
This is after roughly 80 targets were hit on Wednesday, CENTCOM noted, “including more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats.”
“U.S. forces remain vigilant, lethal, and prepared to execute operations directed by the Commander in Chief.”
The U.S. military says it struck about 90 targets in its second night of attacks on Iran this week, including air defenses, drone and missile storage, naval targets and logistics infrastructure.
The military’s Central Command said the goal was to “further degrade Iran’s ability… pic.twitter.com/34mZIqkDB7
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 9, 2026
In response, CBS News reported, Iran said it launched attacks on American bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.
“Thursday’s attacks appeared bigger all around than the prior day’s, with sirens sounding at least twice in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters,” CBS reported.
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“There was no immediate word of damage in the three Gulf Arab countries. Kuwait’s military said it was actively intercepting incoming drones and missiles. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait.”
Alleged footage of those Iranian reprisals began spreading on social media, although the veracity of the clips could not be confirmed:
🚨🇮🇷 BREAKING: The IRGC claims it destroyed infrastructure at FOUR U.S. bases across Kuwait and Bahrain…
-The IRGC announced a joint missile-and-drone operation against Camp Arifjan and Ali Al-Salem in Kuwait, plus Naval Support Activity Bahrain (Juffair) and Sheikh Isa Air… https://t.co/2oqOAYdBBm pic.twitter.com/z4uXivFc2I
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 9, 2026
The renewed attacks came one day after President Donald Trump announced the effective end of last month’s ceasefire at a media briefing at a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.
“To me, I think it’s over,” Trump said.
🚨 NOW: President Trump SPEAKS OUT after striking Iran last night, and he GOES OFF
“They’re a bunch of SCUM.”
“These are evil, sick people, and we have to rid their cancer. They’re CANCER! And you know what you do? You got to cut out cancer EARLY, man.”
“I told them, every… pic.twitter.com/rrjx949r3S
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 8, 2026
“They’re scum. They’re sick people,” he said. “They’re led by sick people, and they’re vicious, violent people.”
“Far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” he added, although he said that American negotiators would determine the next step.
This was a step up from Trump’s rhetoric on Monday, where he said America would “make a deal or we’re going to finish the job.”
“I’d rather make a deal, because I don’t want to affect 91 million people,” Trump said. “We can knock down their bridges in one hour. We can knock out their energy supply.”
The United States had already suspended Iran’s license to legally sell oil, in addition to the airstrikes Tuesday, as part of winding down the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 and brokered by Pakistan. That memorandum was intended to be a roadmap to a more permanent ceasefire and an ending of sanctions that have crippled the Iranian regime.
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