Eight Iranian Military Personnel Killed in US Strikes
At least eight Iranian military personnel have been reported killed in the latest wave of United States strikes on the country’s southern region on Wednesday (8/7). Tehran has labelled Washington’s attacks as ‘criminal aggression’.
Iran and the US have become embroiled in tit-for-tat attacks after several commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz were struck, an act allegedly orchestrated by Tehran. Washington pounded dozens of Iranian targets, both on land and at sea, in retaliation for the attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran subsequently targeted US military bases in the Gulf region, particularly in Kuwait and Bahrain, as further reprisal.
‘Following the criminal aggression carried out this morning by the terrorist US military against areas in southern Iran, eight brave members of the Air Force and Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s military in Bandar Abbas (southern region) and Bushehr (southwestern region) were martyred,’ read a statement from the Iranian military, as reported by Iranian state television and cited by AFP on Thursday (9/7/2026).
Iranian state media had earlier reported a series of explosions at several locations along Iran’s southern coast, after US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced a new wave of strikes.
According to a report by the IRNA news agency, the sound of fighter jets was heard over Kish Island and several explosions rocked the port cities of Bandar Abbas, Konarak, and Chabahar, some of which experienced power outages.
The IRNA report also mentioned an attack on a military base in the coastal area of Bushehr, which is home to Iran’s only civilian nuclear power plant.
In northeastern Iran, according to several official Tehran media reports, a railway bridge was damaged after being hit by a US airstrike.
In the wake of the mutual attacks between Iran and the US, President Donald Trump announced that the ceasefire agreement between the two countries had ended. Trump even called Iran’s leaders ‘scum’ and ‘insane’.
‘I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re scum, they’re sick people, they’re led by sick people, and they’re vicious and brutal people. And if they had nuclear weapons, they would use them,’ Trump said, referring to Iran’s current leadership.