World
Iran-US war latest: Trump orders fresh strikes after third tanker struck in Strait of Hormuz
Donald Trump ordered fresh military strikes on Iran after a third commercial vessel was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to US Central Command, its forces struck over 80 sites across southern Iran, including air defence systems, coastal surveillance networks, anti-ship missile launchers, drone facilities and port infrastructure.
It claimed the strikes were conducted in response to attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the vital waterway.
Iran condemned the latest attacks as a “blatant aggression” and warned of a “crushing response”.
The renewed escalation rattled global energy markets, with the benchmark US crude rising more than 2.5 per cent as investors reacted to fears of supply disruptions through one of the busiest crude transit routes.
It also sparked concern that the fragile truce between Washington and Tehran was rapidly unravelling, increasing the risk of a wider regional conflict.
Bahrain sounded emergency sirens, urging residents to seek shelter, as reports emerged of explosions near Iran’s southern ports and islands.
IRGC claims it shot down US MQ-9 Reaper drone
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone in southern Iran, according to Iranian state media.
Press TV reported that the drone was brought down during the latest escalation between Tehran and Washington, though it did not immediately provide details on the exact location or the circumstances of the incident.
The US has not yet commented on Iran’s claim or confirmed the loss of the unmanned aircraft.
The reported downing comes as tensions continue to soar following fresh US strikes on Iranian military targets and amid fears of a wider regional conflict.
Maroosha Muzaffar8 July 2026 04:40
Air raid sirens sound in Kuwait and Bahrain after US strikes Iran
Air raid sirens have sounded in both Kuwait and Bahrain following fresh US military strikes on Iran, as tensions continue to escalate across the Gulf.
Bahrain’s interior ministry urged residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place after sirens were activated, while sirens were later also reported in Kuwait.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, vowed defiance following the US strikes, writing on X: “The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don’t fold.”
The developments come after US Central Command said it struck more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) small boats in and near the Strait of Hormuz, along with Iranian air defence systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar sites and anti-ship missile capabilities.
Maroosha Muzaffar8 July 2026 04:33
