Trump authorizes new military strikes on Iran following Hormuz shipping attacks

Neena Mae Rayos, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
July 9, 2026

(Photo Courtesy: Donald Trump | Facebook)

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has authorized a new series of military strikes against Iran, warning that future aggression will face even harsher retaliation.

Iranian state media confirmed the attacks targeted the southern coast, including the port cities of Bandar Abbas, Konarak, and Chabahar. The strikes were ordered in response to recent Iranian bombings of commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM stated the operation aims to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the critical waterway, which handles a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.

“This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran,” Trump declared on Truth Social, “If it happens again, it will get much worse!”

The conflict has intensified since late February, following US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, whose funeral is scheduled in Mashhad.

In the wake of these events, Tehran has asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to charge passage fees and target any ships deviating from its authorized routes.

This tension has already led to strikes on at least three commercial ships and a cycle of retaliatory attacks involving Gulf countries.

While Trump vowed at a NATO summit in Ankara to “hit ’em hard,” he also left the door open for diplomatic talks, prompting mediators from Pakistan, Qatar, and the United Nations to urgently call for de-escalation.

The market reacted sharply to the renewed hostilities, with oil prices surging eight percent immediately after the announcement that the ceasefire had ended.