US Hits Iran With Second Night of Strikes After Trump Pronounces Ceasefire Dead

American forces carried out a second consecutive night of strikes on Iranian targets late Wednesday, with U.S. Central Command saying it had "started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

The renewed military action came after President Trump declared that the ceasefire with Iran had collapsed. "For me, I think it's over," the president said. He dismissed negotiating with Iran's leadership as "just a waste of time," and described the country's leaders as "sick" and "scum."

Iranian state media reported explosions in several of the country's port cities, among them Chabahar, Konarak and Bushehr — the latter home to Iran's only civilian nuclear power plant. Eight Iranian military personnel were reported killed in the attacks.

Tehran answered by firing missiles and drones at American allies in the Gulf. Kuwait said it intercepted two ballistic missiles and 13 drones, while Bahrain reported knocking down multiple aerial attacks of its own.

The escalation rattled markets. Brent crude surged nearly 8% to trade above $80 per barrel, and West Texas Intermediate climbed more than 7% to $75 per barrel, while stock prices fell on fears of a widening conflict.

Underlying the fighting is a core dispute over the Strait of Hormuz that neither side has budged on: Tehran insists that commercial shipping must coordinate its passage through the strait with Iran, while Washington demands freedom of navigation through the waterway without any requirement for Iranian approval.