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CENTCOM launches second wave of strikes in Iran

The strikes reportedly targeted air-defense systems, radars and drone command-and-control units in southern Iran

ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images

Explosions erupt following strikes at Tehran Oil Refinery in Tehran on March 7, 2026.

CENTCOM announced on Wednesday evening that it had begun launching additional “self-defense” strikes against multiple targets in Iran, after initially renewing its attacks on Tuesday. A U.S. official told Axios the latest targets included air-defense systems, radars and drone command-and-control units in southern Iran.

The strikes came hours after President Donald Trump met with his national security team to discuss military options, and as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that CENTCOM would be “busy tonight” with “bombs dropping on key facilities in Iran.”

The military action came as Qatari mediators were reportedly meeting with officials in Tehran in an effort to revive negotiations and close remaining gaps between the U.S. and Iran.

Earlier in the day, Trump raised the possibility of targeting Iranian power plants and bridges, expressing frustration that Tehran is, in his view, stringing the U.S. along in diplomatic discussions. The strikes ultimately focused on military targets, according to a U.S. official.

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