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On July 13, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1573, Eighty Years' War: The Siege of Haarlem ends after seven months. In 1922, Helmy Afify Abd El-Bar, Egyptian military commander (died 2011) was born. In 1941, World War II: Montenegrins begin the Trinaestojulski ustanak (Thirteenth of July Uprising), a popular revolt against the Axis powers. In 1977, Somalia declares war on Ethiopia, starting the Ogaden War. In 1977, New York City: Amidst a period of financial and social turmoil experiences an electrical blackout lasting nearly 24 hours that leads to widespread fires and looting. In 1995, Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-70 to deploy the TDRS-7 satellite. In 2008, Battle of Wanat begins when Taliban and al-Qaeda guerrillas attack US Army and Afghan National Army troops in Afghanistan. The U.S. deaths were, at that time, the most in a single battle since the beginning of operations in 2001. In 2011, Mumbai is rocked by three bomb blasts during the evening rush hour, killing 26 and injuring 130. In 2013, Vernon B. Romney, American lawyer and politician, 14th Attorney General of Utah (born 1924) passed away. In 2024, President of the United States Donald Trump is injured in an assassination attempt while speaking at an election campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.

US launches new airstrikes on Iran and Tehran fires back at 3 Gulf Arab states

The Malta Independent

July 9, 2026

lean right

US launches new airstrikes on Iran and Tehran fires back at 3 Gulf Arab states

The United States launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in crossfire that again threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war in the Persian Gulf.The strikes came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz signaled the end of the fragile ceasefire. The U.S. struck a variety of military sites and port facilities early Wednesday after Iran targeted several merchant vessels off the coast of Oman, sparking Iranian fire then as well.But Thursday's attacks appeared bigger all around, with sirens sounding at least twice in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters. There was no immediate word of damage in the three Gulf Arab countries from attacks claimed by Iran's military.In Iran, the two days of American airstrikes have killed at least 14 people and wounded another 78, Iran's Health Ministry said Thursday in its first overall count of casualties. US strikes hit more targetsThe U.S. military's Central Command said it hit some 90 targets across Iran, releasing black-and-white footage of what appeared to be strikes on an airport runway and missile launchers.U.S. forces remain vigilant, lethal, and prepared to execute operations directed by the Commander in Chief, it added.The U.S. says the strikes were intended to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the strait, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil and natural gas passed before the war began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Feb. 28.Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including Bushehr, home to Iran's nuclear power plant complex, and the southern port cities of Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Abbas and Sirik.In Iran's southwestern Khuzestan province, at least three people were killed Thursday, state media reported. In Iranshahr, authorities said a strike also had killed a firefighter at an airport. Those fatalities followed at least nine members of Iran's armed forces being killed in Wednesday's strikes in Iran. It wasn't clear when the other fatality happened and who was killed.For the first time since April, it also appeared the U.S. strikes targeted Iranian bridges. State media reported a strike on a railway bridge in Iran's northeastern Golestan province, and the Revolutionary Guard said two bridges had been attacked on the route to Mashhad, where officials plan to bury the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday. But it wasn't clear if the Golestan attack was the same one mentioned by the Guard. Trump warns that 'it will get much worse' if attacks on shipping happen againAfter leaving a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump posted several videos on his social media site of what he said were explosions in Iran and issued another warning to the Islamic Republic.This is in retribution for yesterday's bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse! Trump wrote.Trump had said earlier in the day that the latest back-and-forth fighting would not result in long-term military action.Anything that happens is going to happen very fast, Trump said, though he also suggested the U.S. military might just finish the job.Trump also renewed his past threats to hit Iran's civilian infrastructure, including electric plants and desalinization plants, and to seize the oil-production hub of Kharg Island.After three tankers were hit Tuesday, the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, and Iranian forces retaliated by targeting American military sites in the Persian Gulf.Iran has asserted that the interim ceasefire deal gives it the right to manage traffic through the strait. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a key negotiator in talks seeking a permanent end to the war, was defiant in a post on X on Thursday morning: America still hasn't learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free. Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you'll get hit. Strikes raise fears that war could resumeTrump fueled concerns that the war could restart by saying the interim agreement to pause fighting was over, although he added that he would allow negotiations to continue.Attacks have repeatedly threatened the shaky ceasefire, but Trump's comments added new uncertainty, and oil prices shot up after he spoke. A renewed conflict could engulf the wider Middle East and would likely again halt energy shipments through the strait.For me, I think it's over, Trump said when asked about the status of the ceasefire. He added that U.S. representatives can continue negotiations, but he cast doubt on the outcome. They can talk, but I think they're wasting their time, he said.Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, also a top negotiator, retorted on X that Trump's remarks are not a sign of power but an admission of the failure of U.S. policy toward Iran.Trump has made other threats to seize Kharg Island, including last month, when he also questioned whether the U.S. has the stomach for it. Some 90 of Iranian oil exports pass through the island.The new attacks on ships in the strait, despite the negotiations, could reflect a divide among Iran's leadership. Hard-liners seek lasting control over the waterway, which is a globally important conduit for fuel shipments and has become a critical lever in confronting the West. Pragmatists want a permanent peace deal to lift international sanctions and provide desperately needed economic relief.Negotiations to reach a final deal were due to start after the funeral for Khamenei, who was killed Feb. 28 in the war's first moments. The funeral, which ends Thursday, was supposed to be a period of lower tensions.The talks are meant to focus on the toughest matters, including fully reopening the strait and rolling back Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

Narrative Intelligence Brief

This article was published by The Malta Independent, a source frequently categorized with a lean right bias based in Malta. Our narrative intelligence engine continuously monitors coverage from this outlet to track framing, bias, and rhetorical patterns. Our initial algorithmic scan of this specific piece did not flag high-confidence rhetorical techniques, suggesting a generally straightforward reporting style or neutral framing. By understanding the editorial perspective of The Malta Independent, readers can better contextualize the information presented and compare it across our broader media matrix to find the real narrative.

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This narrative analysis was generated using the CoDataLab Global Intelligence Engine. Our proprietary AI scans thousands of cross-border sources to identify sentiment patterns, framing techniques, and potential media bias. While AI provides the data-driven foundation, our objective is to empower readers with additional context beyond the standard headline.The content displayed above is a structured summary designed for rapid information processing. For the full original report, please visit the source outlet.

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How other outlets are covering this story

Compare narratives across 35 related reports from 35 sources. Real Narrative News aggregates the coverage spectrum so you can see who emphasises what — bias tags reflect the outlet, not the story.

Coverage bias distribution

35 sources

Left 20%

Center 43%

Right 31%

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