Summary
- Trump follows with mention of "bigger, more powerful" bombing of Iran tonight. He pledged "they're finished".
- Trump announces intent to hit the Iranians "VERY HARD TONIGHT".
- Iran Foreign Ministry: US attacks "rendered the ceasefire dated April 8, 2026 effectively meaningless"
- Third commercial vessel disabled by American forces this week in regional waters. Aircraft fires missiles on engine room.
- Still claims of ongoing indirect talks: Qatar negotiators depart Tehran after talks on US, Iran: diplomat to AFP
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Trump: 'Bigger, More Powerful' Bombing Tonight
President Trump follows on the heels of vowing to hit Iran "very hard tonight" with some further words revealing his thinking in a morning Fox News interview. Trump has promised a "bigger, more powerful" bombing of Iran. "They have no defense," he said, and pledged "they're finished". But be again lambasted the media for not saying that they are actually "finished".
He explained that if needed, US troops can be used to "take over the whole place" - but still expressed he doesn't desire to put US American forces on the ground.
Separately, CNN has cited US admin officials who suggest that a move to capture Kharg Island is an "endgame" strategy option. So this suggests its low on the White House agenda, after Trump earlier hinted that this could be done.
Trump: Will Be Hitting Iran Very Hard Tonight
After already issuing an ultimatum the evening prior, President Trump has just announced his intent to launch a second consecutive night of direct missile attacks on Iran. He's vowing to hit the Iranians "VERY HARD TONIGHT".
He also just renewed prior threats to 'take' Kharg Island and 'other oil infrastructure points' in the not too distant future.
The Thursday morning Truth Social post previewing the next escalation in this war resulted in a spike in oil prices:
US Attack Renders Ceasefire 'Meaningless'
Overnight, there did not appear to be any new major exchanges of fire after Iran launched retaliatory strikes on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan - following the US bombing of some dozens of targets in Iran earlier, in the wake of the downing of a US Apache attack helicopter in the Hormuz area earlier this week.
But since then, Iran has announced it is closing the Strait of Hormuz - or rather seeking to tighten its grip with the likelihood of more aggressive attacks on international and 'unauthorized' tankers to come. Iran had also struck US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan - according to its statements as well as emerging open source material.
The most important new statement to come out of Tehran is the Iranian Foreign Ministry's charge that the US attacks "rendered the ceasefire dated April 8, 2026 effectively meaningless" and that the US will be held responsible for the "consequences". The formal statement also urged regional Arab stated to not allow American forces to use their territories.
Day 104: Return to Regional Airspace Closures
It is day 104 of the enduring conflict, with active war having newly erupted again, and so we are seeing airspace closures over the region once again, with Kuwait confirming flight diversions amid a temporary airspace closure.
Aerial alerts have also been issued for Jordan.
A slew of new videos have emerged showing missile intercepts, with US Patriot batteries active, over areas from Kuwait to Bahrain to Jordan - however, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) interestingly continues to be sparred from Iran's wrath and retaliation.
Scope of US Attack & Iran's Military Response
As for the latest of what's confirmed in the wake of the prior day's major US attacks on Iran, which involved over 40 Tomahawk missiles fired, Al Jazeera has the following summary and review of the situation:
- US strikes on Iran: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that Washington was launching strikes on “key facilities” in Iran, saying the attacks were part of attempts to secure a permanent ceasefire. Speaking outside CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Hegseth said President Donald Trump had ordered Iran to be hit “hard” and warned the strikes could continue for a second consecutive night if necessary.
- Strait of Hormuz closed: In response to the latest attacks, Iran’s top military command announced the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes. Officials warned all vessels to stay away from the strategic waterway, saying any ships attempting to pass through could come under attack.
- Water services restored: Authorities in Iran’s Hormozgan province said water supplies had been restored to affected communities in Sirik county less than 12 hours after US strikes damaged infrastructure. Iranian media reported that two concrete water storage reservoirs were hit in the attacks. A New York Times analysis suggested the tanks may have been struck with precision-guided munitions, raising concerns as international humanitarian law considers civilian water infrastructure a protected site.
- Tehran reacts to renewed fighting: Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall said many Iranians had been expecting another US attack despite renewed talk of negotiations. “They have been waiting and expecting a surprise American attack,” Vall said, adding that Tehran retaliated by striking US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, according to military commanders. The latest exchanges mark another night of direct confrontation after both sides had suggested the previous round of attacks had come to an end.
Below: Iran releases video showing this its latest missile launches targeting US bases in the Middle East:
'Tomorrow Night' Warning
President Trump is again trying his hand at forcing Iran to negotiate and capitulate through bombing, most recently warning in a statement to Fox News that if Iran does not accept a US deal, it would come under American fire power once again "tomorrow night" -- so the clock is ticking Thursday, apparently.
While Trump claimed the Iranians had contacted Washington, urging a halt to the attacks, Tehran leadership has rejected that this actually happened. The whole situation is somewhat of a return to the same stalemated reality of the opening days and weeks of Operation Epic Fury.
Third Tanker this Week Disabled by US Forces
In the Gulf of Oman, US forces have reportedly disabled another oil tanker charged with 'violating the blockade' put into place by the US Navy. This marks the third commercial vessel disabled by American forces this week. According to a fresh CENTCOM description of the action:
U.S. forces disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman at 11:20 p.m. ET on June 10 after the vessel violated the blockade against Iran by attempting to transport Iranian oil, marking the third commercial ship disabled by American forces this week.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) acted against Guinea-Bissau flagged M/T Jalveer as it attempted to transport oil from Iran through the Gulf of Oman. A U.S. aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from U.S. forces.
Earlier this week, U.S. aircraft disabled Palau-flagged vessels M/T Marivex and M/T Settebello on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Marivex violated the blockade by attempting to sail to an Iranian port and Settebello attempted to transport Iranian oil.
In total: U.S. forces have disabled 9 non-compliant vessels since initiating the blockade of Iran's ports on April 13.
Claims of Ongoing Indirect Talks
Bloomberg reports early Thursday:
Qatar negotiators depart Tehran after talks on US, Iran: diplomat to AFP
Some regional media, such as Al Arabiya, are reporting that negotiations between Tehran and Washington are ongoing (likely only indirectly, if at all) - though there hasn't been official confirmation of this from the Islamic Republic side at all. Instead, they are calling even the extended ceasefire itself 'meaningless'.
According to the latest communication, Iran's Defense Ministry says the country will not back down in the face of threats or pressure, with the national armed forces remaining on high alert, ready to inflict retaliation and punishment.
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