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Iran live updates: Iran retaliates, targeting Bahrain and Kuwait, after Trump’s 'retribution' strikes

U.S. forces struck 90 Iranian military targets overnight, Central Command said.

Last Updated: July 9, 2026, 4:00 AM EDT

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Delegations from the U.S. and Iran entered negotiations last month aimed at a war-ending deal based on a memorandum of understanding signed by both countries.

The U.S. and Iran nonetheless exchanged limited strikes in late June despite the signing of the memorandum and amid the continuation of peace talks.

Jul 08, 2026, 10:19 PM EDT

Strait of Hormuz will only open with 'Iranian arrangement,' lead negotiator says

In a social media post, lead Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the Strait of Hormuz would only open with "Iranian arrangements."

"America still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free," Ghalibaf said in the post, originally in Persian. " Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you’ll get hit. Don’t flail around pointlessly, or you’ll sink even deeper: the Strait of Hormuz will only open with 'Iranian arrangements,' not American threats."

Oil tanker JORYA sails at the sea near the Omani coast, as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 25, 2026.
Stringer/Reuters
Jul 08, 2026, 7:05 PM EDT

Trump says strikes 'retribution' for Strait of Hormuz attacks

President Donald Trump emphasized that today's additional strikes on Iran were conducted as "retribution" after Iran attacked three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

"This is in retribution for yesterday's bombing of ships by Iran," he said in a new social media post.

Trump issued another stark warning to Iran, saying, "If it happens again, it will get much worse!"

Trump's post included an image purportedly showing explosions in Iran that had been posted on a different social media account.

That image appears to be from a June incident in Tehran and was likely altered using AI. ABC News has reached out to the White House for comment on the image.

-ABC News' Emily Chang

Jul 08, 2026, 5:13 PM EDT

Latest US strikes bigger in scope than last night's: US official

The U.S. latest airstrikes on Iran are bigger in scope than last night's strikes, which hit more than 80 targets, according to a U.S. official.

Tonight's targets include coastal radar sites and anti-ship missile locations, according to the official.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

Jul 08, 2026, 4:20 PM EDT

CENTCOM says it launched additional strikes against Iran

U.S. Central Command announced it has begun launching "additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz" on Wednesday.

"The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway," CENTCOM said in a statement on X.

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