U.S. military strikes Iran for second day, targeting surveillance and air defense sites

Source: AP

The U.S. military said early on Thursday (June 11, 2026) that it had "completed" its latest round of airstrikes targeting Iran, after President Donald Trump warned that Tehran would "pay the price" for stalled negotiations. The escalating attacks threatened to derail efforts to end the war.

The U.S. Central Command issued a statement saying its forces targeted "Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communication systems and air defense sites across Iran." It did not elaborate on the damage done by the strikes, which it said had been carried out by the U.S. Air Force, Marines, and Navy.

"The strikes are in response to Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression," Central Command said. "U.S. forces remain vigilant, lethal and ready."

Iran has threatened to retaliate, and missile sirens sounded early on Thursday morning in Bahrain, which hosts U.S. troops.

Key Developments

• U.S. Central Command stated the military was striking "multiple targets in Iran" in response to "Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression."
• Iranian media reported explosions were heard in southern Iran, in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, and Minab.
• The strikes followed a day of Iranian fire in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan — all of which host U.S. troops.
• This was the third time this week that back-and-forth strikes have tested a two-month ceasefire.

Diplomatic Context

Mr. Trump has urged Iran to sign a deal to end the war and suggested earlier this week that an agreement could be reached in days.

Iran's United Nations envoy said the U.S. should refrain from threats of force if it wants a deal.

"Iran has never negotiated under threats and pressure and will never submit to pressure or question," Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the UN Security Council on Wednesday (June 10, 2026).

Still, both countries appear to be seeking a way to end the conflict — if they can manage to sell it as a win at home.

Strategic Positions

• Iran has proved resilient despite weeks of heavy bombing. It is betting that its ability to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial passageway for oil and natural gas — gives it a strong bargaining chip.
• Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on pursuing goals that make compromise harder: the collapse of Iran's theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear programme, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.
• On Monday, Iran and Israel targeted each other.

Economic Impact

Since the U.S. and Israel started the war with February 28 attacks on Iran, the conflict has:

• Shaken the global economy
• Driven up energy prices worldwide
• Made food and other basics more expensive

The international benchmark for crude oil traded above $93 a barrel on Wednesday (June 10, 2026), up more than 25% since the start of the war.

Additional Context

Mr. Trump said on Wednesday (June 10, 2026) that the U.S. military has since last month undertaken a "secret mission" to sneak oil past the Strait of Hormuz.

Image: An Iranian missile is launched, as Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had carried out attacks against a U.S. base in Jordan and 21 other targets in the Gulf on Wednesday in retaliation for American strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, from a location given as Tehran, Iran, released June 10, 2026. Photo: WANA via Pool/via REUTERS