US President Donald Trump announced that the preliminary ceasefire with Iran is "over" and warned that the US military will "very probably hit them hard again tonight."

 

Trump threatens US will hit Iran ‘hard again tonight’ after saying truce is over

US President Donald Trump announced that the preliminary ceasefire with Iran is "over" and warned that the US military will "very probably hit them hard again tonight." Trump delivered these remarks on July 8, 2026, during a press conference at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, following an intense escalation of retaliatory military strikes in the Persian Gulf.

💥 Catalyst for the Collapse

• Tanker Attacks: The initial truce shattered after three commercial tankers—including a Qatari-owned LNG vessel—were hit by explosives in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
• US Massive Retaliation: In response to the shipping attacks, the US military launched massive strikes hitting more than 80 Iranian targets, including air-defense networks, radars, and 60 small IRGC paramilitary boats.
• Iranian Counter-Strikes: Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) directly retaliated by firing drones and ballistic missiles at US military facilities in neighboring Kuwait and Bahrain, triggering widespread missile sirens.

🗣️ Trump's Declarations at NATO

• Ceasefire Invalidation: Asked about the mid-June memorandum of understanding (MoU), Trump stated, "As far as I'm concerned, it's over," calling Iranian negotiators "cuckoo" and "liars".
• Infrastructure Threats: Trump threatened to target civilian infrastructure, stating the US could systematically knock down Iran's electricity manufacturing plants and bridges.
• Kharg Island Seizure: Trump explicitly warned that the US may forcefully seize Kharg Island, a highly vital economic hub handling roughly 90% of Iran's total crude oil exports.
• Strait Blockade: The US is heavily weighing a total naval blockade focused strictly on ships bound for Iranian ports.

🌍 Global Reactions and Economic Shockwaves

• Oil Prices Surge: Following Trump's comments, international benchmark Brent crude spiked over 5%, rapidly trading above $80 a barrel due to fears of major global energy disruptions.
• Iran's Retaliation Promise: Iranian state media announced that any fresh aggression would be met with double the targets hit, vowing to shut down the Strait of Hormuz completely if attacked.
• NATO Stance: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte publicly backed the US response, framing the original retaliatory strikes as "absolutely necessary" to protect international waterways