Trump threatens more strikes as death toll in Iran rises to 18

What the report says

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could carry out more strikes against Iran, saying Washington can attack “anytime we want,” according to Al Jazeera’s report published on Sept. 3, 2026. His comments came after another round of heavy cross-border attacks, with the death toll from the latest U.S. strikes rising to 18, including children, and at least 108 people reported wounded by Iranian officials.

Al Jazeera said the U.S. strikes hit several sites in Iran’s south along the Persian Gulf coast near the Strait of Hormuz, including an attack in the city of Kuhestak that Iranian officials said struck a wedding party and killed at least four people there. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned that strike as a war crime, while Iranian media said funerals were planned for the victims. Tehran also said it had retaliated with attacks on U.S. bases in Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan.

The report places the escalation in the context of a wider war that has disrupted oil markets and raised political pressure on Trump at home. The Strait of Hormuz remains a key strategic chokepoint for global energy shipments, and both sides have tried to control or disrupt traffic there. Al Jazeera noted that Iran has denied seeking a nuclear weapon, while analysts quoted in the article said the conflict is becoming increasingly costly for Washington. The broader significance is that the fighting is now affecting regional security, energy flows and U.S. domestic politics at the same time.