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Trump threatens to hit Iran 'hard again tonight'
Earlier, the US president said American forces would probably launch a big attack and take out Iran's power producing plants, hit desalination plants, and target the critical Kharg island
Agencies
Published: 08 Jul 2026, 10:15 PM
President Donald Trump said the United States was likely to
launch new strikes on Wednesday night following Iranian attacks on US bases in
the Gulf in retaliation for earlier US strikes.
In initial reaction to the Iranian strikes, Trump had said
that an interim agreement to end the war with Tehran was "over."
Trump also said that the US would launch a big attack and
probably take out all the power producing plants in Iran while also hitting
desalination plants and the critical Kharg island. However, he did not
explicitly say that the full-fledged war would resume.
Iranian lawmakers pushed back against his renewed threats saying
their forces were “waiting” for US troops in the Kharg island.
In a flare-up of hostilities that pushed up oil prices to
two-week high, Iran said on Wednesday it had targeted US military sites in Bahrain
and Kuwait after US forces struck Iranian targets in response to attacks on
tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
The attacks further undermined a shaky ceasefire agreement
and dented hopes of turning the memorandum of understanding signed on 17 June
into a permanent peace deal to end the war, which began with US-Israeli
airstrikes on Iran on 28 February.
Stay tuned with the Daily Sun as we bring you updates….
Multiple blasts reported along Iranian coast as US launches new strikes
Explosions were heard in multiple locations along the Iranian coast as the United States launched new strikes on Iran late Wednesday, state media said.
Warplanes were heard over Kish Island and multiple explosions rocked the port cities of Bandar Abbas, Konarak and Chabahar, part of which lost electricity, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported. (AFP)
US bombing to 'get much worse' if Iran doesn't halt attacks: Trump
President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that US bombing of Iran will increase significantly if Tehran continues to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
"This is in retribution for yesterday's bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!" the US president posted on social media over a picture of an apparent bombing of a site in Iran.
US forces launch new strikes on Iran to curb threat to Hormuz: US military
The United States launched new strikes against Iran on Wednesday in a bid to curb Tehran's ability to target shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the US military said.
US forces "have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," US Central Command said on X, adding that Washington is "holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping."
UN maritime head urges halt to Hormuz transit to protect seafarers
The head of the International Maritime Organization said Wednesday the 6,000 seafarers still stranded in the Gulf must not be put in unnecessary danger by crossing the Strait of Hormuz amid fresh US-Iran attacks.
US President Donald Trump earlier Wednesday said the US-Iran ceasefire was over, though he left the door open to more talks, after fighting sparked by Iranian attacks on ships in the vital strait.
Tehran's military has struck at least three ships in recent days, prompting extensive US strikes against Iranian targets Tuesday followed by retaliatory attacks from Iran on Gulf countries.
IMO secretary general Arsenio Dominguez condemned the attacks and called for "maximum restraint and de-escalation", as well as to facilitate the departure of ships blocked in the Gulf.
"As long as the safety and security of crews cannot be assured, I urge flag States, shipowners, operators and all relevant authorities to avoid exposing seafarers to unnecessary danger by transiting the Strait," Dominguez said in a statement.
"The safety of seafarers must remain our foremost priority."
Pakistan urges Iran, US to exercise restraint
Mediator Pakistan urged the United States and Iran on Wednesday to exercise restraint and uphold the memorandum of understanding to halt the Middle East war after renewed fighting broke out.
"Pakistan urges all sides to uphold their respective commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)," the foreign office said in a statement which also called on "all parties to exercise restraint." [AFP]
Trump says expects Iran flare-up to be over 'very quickly'
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he expected the military flare-up with Iran overnight to end very quickly despite earlier statements saying the ceasefire was "over".
"I think anything that happens is going to be over very quickly and will only make it safer, including for oil... Anything that happens is going to happen very fast. We're not looking for long term," he said at the end of a two-day NATO summit in Ankara. [AFP]
Eight Iran military personnel killed in US strikes
The latest US strikes on southern Iran killed eight military personnel, Iranian state television said on Wednesday.
"Following the criminal aggression carried out this morning by the US terrorist army against areas in southern Iran, eight courageous members of the air and naval forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran's military in Bandar Abbas (south) and Bushehr (southwest) fell as martyrs," state television said, citing a statement from the military. [AFP]
UN chief urges de-escalation, renewal of talks as Iran fighting flares
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Wednesday for de-escalation and a resumption of talks, his spokesman said, as fighting between Iran and the United States flared once more.
"The secretary-general calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid any further escalatory action, and take immediate steps to de-escalate," Guterres's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a briefing. [AFP]
India urges restraint after fresh Iran-US strikes
India on Wednesday expressed concern over the renewed fighting between the United States and Iran.
In a statement, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the attacks risked undermining regional peace, security and stability, following fresh targeting of commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
"India is deeply concerned over the recent attacks and escalation of tensions in West Asia, which have followed fresh targeting of commercial shipping transiting international waterways in the region," the ministry said.
India called upon all parties to "exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and ensure protection of civilians as well as the uninterrupted flow of energy supplies and commerce".
The statement urged the parties to return to dialogue and diplomacy "to achieve a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict".
The remarks came after both sides reported hitting dozens of targets in a new escalation that has placed further strain on an interim deal aimed at ending the war.
India, which imports a significant share of its crude oil through routes linked to West Asia, has repeatedly called for stability in the region and the protection of maritime trade routes crucial to global energy supplies. [AFP]
‘We are waiting for you:’ Iranian lawmaker tells US military
Iranian politicians are pushing back on Trump’s threat to
attack Kharg Island, a key hub for Iranian oil exports.
Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s
National Security and Foreign Policy Committee wrote on X: “Come—we are waiting
for you—and we promise that not a single American soldier will return alive.”
Ali Akbar Velayati, Iran’s former foreign affairs minister
admonished the “latest escalation,” saying on X that Iran had “previously
warned that ‘the region is no place for the political gambling of small
nations’” and that it “stands with its finger on the trigger to cleanse the
region.” [CNN]
US could again target Kharg Island
The US president on Wednesday also named Kharg Island, a key hub for Iranian oil exports. “We attacked Kharg Island last night, knocked out a piece.
I said, ‘Don’t touch the oil, because maybe we’ll take over Kharg Island,’” Trump said, recalling what he told the US military. “I said, ‘Don’t hit the pipes, just hit everything else.’ And they hit it."
"They may hit it
again tonight,” he added. [CNN]
Trump again threatens attacks on Iran's critical infrastructure
President Donald Trump previewed additional action against
Iran on Wednesday, again threatening to target critical civilian
infrastructure.
“It may be a big attack, and it’ll knock out a lot of
stuff,” Trump warned during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
Trump pointed to electric plants. “We’ll take them out. I
don’t want to do that, but if we have to, we’ll take them out.”
He also pointed to desalination plants, which are key for
drinking water. “We’ll take them out if we have to. I hate to do that. That’s
probably the one I’d like to do least.”
Trump has long threatened to target critical civilian
infrastructure, which includes water plants and potentially power plants and
could be considered a war crime. [CNN]
Oil prices jump around 5%
Oil prices jumped nearly 5% on Wednesday, hitting a two-week high after President Donald Trump warned Iran that the US would launch additional strikes on Wednesday night.
Brent crude futures were up $3.81, or 5.14%, to $77.97 a barrel at 1339 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $3.36, or 4.77%, to $73.80 a barrel. The benchmarks hit their highest levels since 22 June earlier in the session.
Both rose about 3% on Tuesday after the US revoked the general license authorising the sale of Iranian crude. [Reuters]
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Trump warns of major strikes on Wednesday night
President Donald Trump said an interim agreement to end the
war with Iran was "over" and that the United States was likely to
launch new strikes on Wednesday night following Iranian attacks on US bases in
the Gulf.
In a flare-up of hostilities that pushed up oil prices, Iran
said on Wednesday it had targeted US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait after
US forces struck Iranian targets in response to attacks on tankers in the
Strait of Hormuz.
But Trump did not explicitly say Washington would return to full-fledged war and it was not immediately clear whether or not the negotiations on reaching a permanent deal would continue. [Reuters]
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