Escalating Attacks Between US & Iran, Inflation Hits Three-Year High, World Cup Opens
June 11, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readThe United States launched 49 Tomahawk missiles against Iranian military facilities near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday night, the second straight night of American airstrikes. President Trump told Fox News the strikes were necessary because Iran was taking too long to negotiate, and he promised another strike if Tehran did not reach a deal. Meanwhile, inflation hit a three-year high, driven largely by energy prices. And the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off Thursday in Mexico City, with the tournament unfolding against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, protests, and a U.S. at war with one of the competing nations.
A Ceasefire Broken, Escalation Accelerating
NPR’s Greg Myre reported from Tel Aviv that the U.S. strikes targeted military facilities along Iran’s coast, specifically sites near the Strait of Hormuz where Iran launches missiles and drones at ships in the Gulf and neighboring Arab countries. U.S. Central Command said the operation began a little after midnight local time and lasted nearly four hours. President Trump said the U.S. had fired 49 Tomahawk missiles and used jet fighters as well.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:28) **US Launches Second Night of Airstrikes on Iran** - The US targets military sites along Iran's coast, including near the Strait of Hormuz, after the ceasefire breaks down.
- 2 (04:53) **Oil Tanker Blockade and Secret Mission** - Trump claims a secret mission helped 200+ ships bypass the Iranian blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
- 3 (06:17) **Inflation Hits Three-Year High** - Consumer prices in May rose over 4% year-over-year, driven largely by energy prices from the Iran war.
- 4 (08:51) **Fed Faces Challenge on Interest Rates** - New Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh prepares for his first rate-setting meeting amid pressure from Trump for lower rates.
- 5 (10:14) **2026 FIFA World Cup Kicks Off** - The opening match features South Africa vs. Mexico in Mexico City, with games also hosted by the US and Canada.
- 6 (11:44) **World Cup Tensions and Host Country Dynamics** - Iran's team faces travel and visa issues, including being denied a camp in Arizona and moving to Tijuana.
- 7 (13:10) **Outlook for Home Teams and Favorites** - Spain, France, Portugal, England, and Argentina are favorites; US and Mexico likely to advance from group stage but not much further.
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Show Notes
Inflation jumped to its highest level in more than three years last month, largely driven by soaring gas prices since the war with Iran began, leaving many families like Emily Inlow in Kentucky struggling as wages fail to keep pace with rising costs.
And the 2026 World Cup kicks off today in Mexico City, the world’s biggest sporting event already shadowed by protests, geopolitical tensions, and disputes over which teams and fans can even enter the United States.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Tina Kraja, Pallavi Gogoi, Tara Neill, Mohamad El-Bardicy and John Stolnis.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Nia Dumas.
Our director is Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
And our deputy Executive Producer is Kelley Dickens.
(0:00) Introduction
(02:23) Escalating Attacks Between US & Iran
(06:12) Inflation Hits Three-Year High
(10:04) World Cup Opens
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