US Strikes 90 Iranian Military Targets in Latest Attack
The United States announced that its forces had struck at least 90 Iranian military targets on Wednesday (8 July) local time, the second day of renewed fighting between the two countries.
Washington, as reported by AFP on Thursday (9 July 2026), said the latest military operation was intended to weaken Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said its forces had “completed a series of additional strikes against Iran” on the night of 8 July, Iran time.
“In order to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian sailors in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said in its latest statement.
“US forces struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets, including air defence systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline,” CENTCOM added.
The latest wave of US strikes, according to CENTCOM, followed “the successful execution of offensive strikes in Iran the previous night” — referring to attacks carried out on 7 July local time.
CENTCOM previously said its forces had bombarded around 80 Iranian military targets, including 60 small vessels belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), on 7 July local time.
CENTCOM said the strikes were aimed at “delivering a heavy blow to Iran for violating the ceasefire by attacking three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz”.
“US forces remain vigilant, possess lethal combat capability, and stand ready to conduct operations as directed by the Commander-in-Chief,” CENTCOM continued in its statement, referring to US President Donald Trump.
Iran, on Wednesday (8 July), targeted US military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait in retaliation for the American strikes.
Meanwhile, amid the exchange of attacks, President Donald Trump announced that the ceasefire agreement between the two countries had ended. Trump even described Iran’s leadership as “trash” and “insane”.
“I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re trash, they’re sick people, they’re led by mentally ill people, and they’re vicious and brutal people. And if they had nuclear weapons, they would use them,” Trump said on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey.
On Wednesday (8 July), Trump ordered the latest wave of strikes against Iran, while warning of “far worse” attacks should Tehran continue to target vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global oil and gas supplies.