The United States carried out an 11th consecutive night of military strikes on targets in Iran, with President Donald Trump warning Tehran it faces far
greater destruction if the conflict continues. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday evening that its forces had begun striking military targets in Iran at 7pm ET. "The strikes are designed to continue degrading Iranian military capabilities" used to attack vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, CENTCOM said in a post on X. Iranian state-affiliated media and local reports said explosions were heard in several parts of the country overnight. According to the Fars news agency, residents reported blasts in Mahshahr in Khuzestan province, several explosions near southern Tabriz, air defence activity in eastern Tehran, and explosions near Sirik in Hormozgan province. Tasnim News reported that a missile strike targeted a location in Kangavar County in Kermanshah province. Fars also reported four explosions in Chabahar, while local residents reported at least nine explosions in Parchin near Tehran, with one resident saying: "Our whole house is shaking." Iranian state media outlet NourNews said air defence batteries had been activated in Tehran to engage what it described as hostile targets. Reports also emerged of strikes in Behbahan, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Urmia and areas west of Tabriz. Video shared by a local resident and validated by the Network reportedly showed airstrikes in Behbahan.
Video from Behbahan, Khuzestan Province, southwestern Iran shows US airstrikes, shared by a local and validated by the Network pic.twitter.com/WkthxxZ8CO
— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) July 21, 2026
Trump Vows Heavier Strikes
Speaking alongside Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House, Trump warned Iran that the US campaign was far from over. "If we left today, it would take Iran 20, 25 years to rebuild, OK? And we're not finished at all," he said from the Oval Office. "But if we left right now, it would take them a long time — years, years — to rebuild. But we're not leaving right now."
"Honestly, they haven't seen anything yet. We've been nice," he added.
The President's remarks came after the deaths of at least three US service members over the weekend. Trump has vowed to avenge their deaths and warned of further strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges.
Warning Over Nuclear Facilities
Trump also warned that any attempt by Iran to rebuild its nuclear programme would face military action. Referring to reports that Israeli intelligence believes Tehran moved thousands of uranium-enrichment centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain last year, he said the site would be targeted.
"There's not a thing they can do about it," Trump told reporters. "Normally, I wouldn't say that. If I thought they could do something about it, I would never say that. But we'll be hitting that area pretty soon, and very heavily."
He added: "The new site that they're talking about — how about these people? They're in this because of nuclear weapons, and they're trying to possibly reconstitute a site." "We'll hit that site. Any site where they're even thinking about nuclear, we'll be hitting it very, very powerfully."
Trump said the location of nuclear material remained the primary focus. "It doesn't mean anything unless they have the material," he said. "We follow the material. That's where the action is."
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said diplomatic options remained available despite the continued military campaign. "Iran's been given every opportunity to negotiate to show that they're reasonable in the Strait of Hormuz, but if they're going to shoot at commercial shipping, then we're going to hit them as the president said 10 times harder," Hegseth said. "Every night we're degrading them further and further, and the president has all the options necessary."
