Trump orders strikes on Iran after downing of US helicopter near Hormuz
The United States has carried out military strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz following the downing of an American Apache helicopter in the strategic waterway.
In a statement on Tuesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces targeted Iranian air defence systems, ground control facilities, and surveillance radar installations in what it described as “self-defence strikes”.
The action came a day after an Apache helicopter was shot down while conducting patrol operations over the Hormuz waters. Both crew members survived the incident and were rescued by a US sea drone.
Speaking to ABC News, President Donald Trump confirmed that the United States was responding militarily to the attack
“I think it’s very important to respond. They shot down a helicopter, and we are responding as we speak,” Trump said.
Earlier, the US president had downplayed the incident in comments to The Wall Street Journal, saying the helicopter attack “wasn’t a big deal” and noting that “the pilot is fine”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the US strikes and vowed retaliation.
“Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the US opted to test our determination. Our powerful armed forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered,” he said.
Although Araghchi did not directly address the helicopter incident, he warned that foreign forces operating in the region should withdraw if they wished to avoid further confrontation.
Shortly after the US operation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced attacks on the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and a military airbase in Jordan. Kuwait also reported coming under Iranian attack.
The latest escalation follows weeks of heightened tensions between Iran and Israel. Prior to the US strikes, both countries had exchanged missile attacks, representing the most significant violation of a ceasefire agreement brokered in April.
While the two sides later reaffirmed their commitment to the truce following calls by Trump for an immediate ceasefire, both governments cautioned that military operations could resume if either party initiated new hostilities.
Despite the ceasefire remaining in place, repeated exchanges of fire have intensified concerns about the possibility of a broader regional conflict.
