The United States launched a second consecutive night of airstrikes against Iranian military targets on 8 July, hours after President Donald Trump declared the three-week-old ceasefire with Tehran “over” and threatened further escalation. The strikes, confirmed by US Central Command (CENTCOM), targeted coastal radar, air defence systems, and missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz, with the stated aim of degrading Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping. Iranian state media reported explosions in the port cities of Bandar Abbas, Sirik, and Chabahar, as well as near Bushehr, home to the country’s sole nuclear power plant. Brent crude oil prices jumped more than 5 per cent, briefly exceeding $80 per barrel, as at least four oil and gas tankers turned away from the strait, according to ship-tracking data.

Washington’s actions followed what it described as Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on 7 July, including a Qatari LNG tanker and a Saudi crude carrier. CENTCOM said its initial response struck over 80 targets, including more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fast-attack boats. The US Treasury also revoked a general licence that had permitted Iranian oil sales under the interim memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on 17 June. Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump called Iran’s leaders “scum” and “sick people,” and said further negotiations were “a waste of time,” though he later indicated that American negotiators could continue talks. He also threatened to reimpose a naval blockade on Iranian ports and to seize Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal.

Iran’s response was swift and multi-layered. The IRGC claimed it struck 85 US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait with missiles and drones, and shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone. Iranian state television reported eight military personnel killed in the US strikes. A security source cited by state broadcaster Press TV warned that any new US attack would trigger a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz and retaliatory strikes at a ratio of at least two to one. Iran’s foreign ministry and lead negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, accused the US of violating the MoU by challenging Iran’s “adjustments” in the strait, reinstating oil sanctions, and continuing military operations. Tehran insisted it would not relinquish control over the waterway, which it views as a strategic lever.

The renewed hostilities drew sharp reactions from across the Middle East and beyond. Kuwait and Bahrain condemned the Iranian strikes on their territory, with Kuwait saying it intercepted two ballistic missiles and 13 drones. Saudi Arabia and Qatar, whose vessels were hit, called the attacks a threat to international navigation and urged restraint. Pakistan, a key mediator, and the United Nations Secretary-General appealed for de-escalation and a return to dialogue. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte described the US strikes as “absolutely necessary,” but several European leaders expressed concern about the risk of a wider war. Analysts in London and Washington noted that the violence, while severe, had not yet returned to the intensity of the full-scale conflict earlier this year, but warned that the pattern of tit-for-tat strikes was eroding the already fragile diplomatic framework.

The MoU, intended to provide a 60-day window for negotiations on a permanent settlement covering the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear programme, and sanctions relief, now hangs in the balance. Talks have been suspended during the week-long funeral rites for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed on the first day of the war in February. Both sides have left the door ajar for diplomacy: Trump said his negotiators could continue, and Iranian officials signalled a willingness to talk, though they demanded full implementation of the MoU first. With the funeral concluding on 9 July, the next steps remain uncertain, but the latest exchanges have hardened positions and deepened mutual mistrust, making a return to the negotiating table more difficult.