DUBAI, July 9 – The conflict between the US and Iran intensified once again early Thursday after American forces carried out another wave of airstrikes across Iranian territory, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory attacks against Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The renewed exchange has further weakened hopes that an interim agreement aimed at reducing hostilities in the Persian Gulf could prevent the region from slipping back into a broader war.
The latest military escalation unfolded only hours after U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the temporary ceasefire had effectively collapsed following recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The renewed fighting has heightened concerns among regional governments and international markets, particularly because the strategic waterway remains one of the world’s most important routes for global energy supplies.
Iranian authorities also released their first nationwide casualty figures since the latest American strikes began. According to Iran’s Health Ministry, at least 14 people have been killed while another 78 have suffered injuries during the two-day bombing campaign.
US Expands Military Campaign Across Iran
The United States significantly widened its military operations by launching strikes against dozens of locations across Iran. U.S. Central Command said approximately 90 targets were hit during the latest operation, describing the campaign as an effort to further weaken Iran’s military capabilities and reduce threats against international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Alongside its statement, Central Command released black and white aerial footage showing precision strikes that appeared to hit airport infrastructure, missile launch positions and other military facilities.
In its official statement, the command emphasized that American forces remain fully prepared for additional operations if ordered by President Donald Trump.
The U.S. administration has argued that the latest attacks are intended to prevent Iran from disrupting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that handled nearly one fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas before the conflict erupted with U.S. and Israeli military operations on Feb. 28.
Iranian state media reported multiple explosions across the country following the strikes. Reports identified blasts near Bushehr, where Iran’s nuclear power plant complex is located, as well as in the southern ports of Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, Konarak and Sirik.
Additional strikes were reported in Khuzestan Province, where Iranian state television said at least 3 people were killed. Authorities in Iranshahr also confirmed the death of an airport firefighter after a strike hit the area. These fatalities came after Iranian officials reported that 9 members of the country’s armed forces had died during Wednesday’s attacks.
For the first time in several months, transportation infrastructure also appeared to come under attack. Iranian media reported damage to a railway bridge in Golestan Province, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced that two bridges on the route leading to Mashhad had been targeted. Officials are preparing to hold the burial ceremony for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Mashhad later Thursday, although it remains unclear whether all reported bridge attacks referred to the same incident.
Iran Responds With Missile Attacks Across the Gulf
Iran answered the latest American operation by launching attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, marking another dangerous expansion of the conflict across the Gulf region.
Warning sirens sounded at least twice in Bahrain, which hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Authorities in the Gulf states did not immediately release information regarding casualties or significant damage following the reported attacks.
The latest retaliation came after Iran had already targeted American military facilities in the Gulf following earlier U.S. strikes that were launched in response to attacks on commercial tankers near Oman.
Iranian leaders defended their actions by insisting that the temporary ceasefire arrangement still allowed Tehran to regulate shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf delivered a strong warning through a post on X, saying the United States had failed to understand that “bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost free.” He added that any future military strike against Iran would receive a direct response.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also criticized President Trump’s remarks regarding the ceasefire. Writing on X, Gharibabadi argued that Trump’s comments reflected “not a sign of power but an admission of the failure” of Washington’s policy toward Iran.
The latest attacks have fueled fears that internal divisions within Iran’s leadership may be influencing military decisions. Some political and military figures continue to push for maintaining firm control over the Strait of Hormuz as leverage against Western powers, while others support reaching a long term agreement that could ease sanctions and improve Iran’s struggling economy.
Trump Says More Action Could Follow as Peace Efforts Face Uncertainty
Following the latest developments, President Trump issued another warning to Tehran after departing a NATO summit in Turkey. Posting videos on his social media platform that he described as showing explosions inside Iran, Trump linked the newest American strikes directly to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping.
“This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!” the president wrote.
Earlier, Trump suggested that any future military response would happen quickly if Iran continued targeting international shipping, although he maintained that he did not expect a prolonged military campaign. At the same time, he said the United States could “just finish the job” if necessary.
The president also repeated previous warnings that the United States could target Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including power generation facilities and desalination plants. He again raised the possibility of seizing Kharg Island, the country’s primary oil export terminal through which roughly 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports pass.
Trump later declared that the interim ceasefire was effectively finished, even while indicating that diplomatic discussions could continue.
“For me, I think it’s over,” Trump told reporters when asked about the agreement. While acknowledging that negotiations could still move forward, he questioned whether meaningful progress remained possible, saying talks were likely a waste of time.
Those remarks immediately added uncertainty to already fragile diplomatic efforts. Oil prices climbed as investors reacted to the growing possibility that renewed fighting could once again disrupt energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and trigger wider instability across the Middle East.
Negotiators had hoped to resume formal discussions after the conclusion of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies. The planned talks are expected to address some of the conflict’s most difficult issues, including the future security of the Strait of Hormuz and international concerns surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.
With both military operations and diplomatic negotiations unfolding simultaneously, uncertainty continues to dominate the region. While officials on all sides have left the door open for further talks, the latest exchange of strikes demonstrates how quickly the situation can deteriorate, leaving the prospect of a lasting peace increasingly difficult to achieve.