Wednesday, 8 July 2026

In the 24 hours ending 8 July 07:30 UTC, the United States expanded its war with Iran. The US military hit more than 80 Iranian targets after Iran attacked commercial ships near the Strait of Hormuz.

The strikes hit air defenses, command networks, coastal radars, anti-ship missiles, and more than 60 IRGC small boats. The IRGC is Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, a major military force.

Donald Trump, US president, approved the strikes while in Turkey for the NATO summit. He met Marco Rubio, US secretary of state, Pete Hegseth, secretary of war, and Scott Bessent, treasury secretary.

The NATO secretary general, the alliance’s top official, backed the US strikes as “absolutely necessary.” That gave Washington public support from the alliance during the summit.

Iran then widened its response across the Gulf. Iranian forces targeted Kuwait’s Ali Salem Airbase and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain.

Kuwait said it was under attack from Iranian drones and missiles. Air defenses worked against the threat, and power later returned to all affected areas.

Air raid sirens also sounded in Bahrain. People were told to stay calm and move to safe places.

Iran warned nearby states not to let the United States use their land for strikes on Iran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy also said one member was killed by enemy drones on Wednesday morning.

Explosions were heard in Bushehr, Iran, near the end of the report window. The data did not give damage details.

Ukraine also hit deeper inside Russia. Drones struck the Nizhnekamsk oil refinery, and the refinery was burning in the morning.

Ukrainian drones also hit Borisoglebsk airbase about 200 miles behind the front. Several parts of the airfield caught fire after the overnight strike.