Iran-US war latest: Trump says Tehran ‘better behave’ as US launches second wave of strikes in 24 hours

US launches new wave of strikes hitting Iranian command centers, missile sites and coastal defensesDonald Trump has warned that Iran "better behave" amid a renewed exchange of attacks between the two sides.When asked by reporters whether he would give Tehran a deadline, Mr Trump said: “I ‌don't like giving ​deadlines, but they pretty ⁠much know, they know ​the story... ​they ​better ​behave."

Earlier he said Iran released a US citizen in a “gesture of goodwill”.“Iran has allowed an American Citizen, who was wrongfully detained in December of 2024 under the ‘presidency’ of Sleepy Joe Biden, to leave the Country”, the US president wrote on Truth Social Wednesday. “She is now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition”.

Also on Wednesday, the US launched multiple rounds of airstrikes against Iran to degrade the country’s ability to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.Trump held an emergency meeting in the Situation Room Tuesday to discuss a massive offensive against Iran to reopen the strait, Axios’ sources said.American forces also reinstated their blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday.

But Trump U-turned on his plan to impose a 20 per cent fee on maritime traffic to guard the oil waterway.RecommendedUS strikes expand into northern Iran as it disables ship trying to run blockadeTrump ‘asked Netanyahu’ to pull Israeli troops out of Syria and Lebanon: ‘They don’t want you there’British man detained in Iran has jail term extended for speaking to press, family saysVance tells Joe Rogan that some Israeli leaders want conflict with Iran to continue ‘indefinitely’Israeli soldier sentenced to five years in prison for spying for IranTrump tells Iran to 'better behave' Donald Trump told reporters he doesn't want to set a deadline for Iran but warned that Tehran "better behave" amid a renewed exchange of attacks between the two sides.“I ‌don't like giving ​deadlines, but they pretty ⁠much know, they know ​the story...

​they ​better ​behave," he said.President Donald Trump speaks at the Oval Office (AP)Stuti Mishra16 July 2026 05:30Eight missiles targeted Jordan Jordan's military says it shot down 8 missiles launched by Iran targeting the kingdom. Stuti Mishra16 July 2026 05:15CENTCOM shares photos of nighttime flight operations above Arabian SeaRachel Dobkin16 July 2026 05:00US airstrikes hit northern Iran as it disables ship trying to run the blockadeThe United States intensified its strikes targeting Iran today, hitting targets further north as American forces also fired into a ship it accused of trying to break its naval blockade on the Islamic Republic.

Iran retaliated with missile and drone fire targeting Bahrain and Kuwait before dawn.Days of back-and-forth strikes by the US and Iran across the Middle East, and renewed threats to the Strait of Hormuz, have shredded the interim deal to end the Iran war and could tip the region back into all-out war. Already, Iranian officials say US strikes have killed more than 35 people and wounded more than 300 others.

Strikes also reached into areas around Iran's capital, Tehran, for the first time of this latest round of violence.Stuti Mishra16 July 2026 04:35Lebanon and Israel move towards implementing withdrawal deal, US saysLebanon and Israel took steps toward implementing "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon where Israeli forces would withdraw and turn over control to the Lebanese army, the US State Department has said after two days of US-mediated talks in Rome.The State Department said the talks were "productive" and the parties "agreed on the structure and guidelines for the pilot zone process, to be finalised and implemented in the coming days."

There was no immediate statement from Lebanon or Israel on the outcome of the negotiations. Lebanon and Israel announced a "framework agreement" on June 26, laying out a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw from the large swathes of southern Lebanon they are occupying, in exchange for the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.The deal was supposed to begin with two "pilot zones" where the Israeli military is to turn over control to the Lebanese army, which would clear the areas of any Hezbollah presence.

However, implementation on the ground had stalled. Read on...Lebanon and Israel move toward implementing withdrawal agreement, US officials sayLebanon and Israel have taken steps toward creating “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon, following U.

S.-mediated talks in RomeJane Dalton16 July 2026 04:04WATCH: US forces strike oil tanker 'violating' blockadeUS forces strike oil tanker 'violating' blockadeRachel Dobkin16 July 2026 03:31Latest round of US strikes against Iran endsUS Central Command has announced that its latest round of airstrikes against Iran is completed. “US forces struck Iranian command centers, air defense sites, missile and drone capabilities, and coastal surveillance facilities to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten innocent mariners crewing commercial vessels tra