US launches new airstrikes on Iran; Ghalibaf says, ‘Strike, and you will be struck’
3 min readJul 9, 2026 09:04 AM IST
Hours after President of the United States Donald Trump announced the ceasefire in the Middle East conflict was over, the US launched fresh airstrikes against Iran on Thursday, early in the morning.
Explosions were reported in cities along the Strait of Hormuz, including Bushehr, Chabahar, Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask, and Abu Musa Island
At least one person was killed in strikes in Iranshahr. Widespread power outages were reported in Chabahar after two docks and a maritime traffic control tower were hit there.
In retaliation, Tehran hit Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, prompting missile alerts in these Gulf states.
Gulf braces for attacks by Iran
The Qatari Interior Ministry issued an alert stating the “security threat level is high” and urging citizens to stay at home and in safe places.
Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior said warning sirens have sounded, urging citizens to stay calm and head to the nearest safe place.
Kuwait too sounded its missile alert sirens after Bahrain and Qatar, warning of an Iranian attack.
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No immediate damage was reported in the three Gulf Arab countries as Kuwait’s military said it was intercepting incoming drones and missiles actively.
What the US said about the attacks on Iran
In a social media post, the US military officials said that the new round of strikes was aimed at “further degrading” Iran’s ability to “threaten freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas passed before the US and Israel attacked Tehran on February 28.
What Iran said in response
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that “bullying and breaking promises are no longer without cost”. Issuing a threat to the US, Ghalibaf wrote on X: “Let me be clear: Strike, and you will be struck.” Warning against pressure over the Strait of Hormuz, he said the channel will only open through “Iranian arrangements”, not “American threats”. “Do not flail around pointlessly, or you will sink deeper,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) alleged an attack by a US cruise missile at the Aq Taka Khan bridge area in Aqqala, in Golestan. Confirming that the attack did not cause any casualties, the IRGC Golestan branch promised a “crushing” response.
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How the new wave of attacks-counterattacks started
Iran targeted several merchant ships off the coast of Oman, prompting the US to strike back. After declaring that Iran’s attacks on ships indicated the end of a fragile ceasefire, the US launched fresh and possibly a bigger round of attacks on Thursday morning, with sirens being sounded at least twice in Bahrain, which houses the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters