The United States military on Tuesday launched strikes against Iranian military installations near the Strait of Hormuz, targeting air defence systems, surveillance radar sites, and ground control stations following the downing of a US Apache helicopter in the strategic waterway.
The operation was confirmed by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), which described the action as a series of “self-defence strikes” carried out in response to the attack on the helicopter a day earlier.
The Apache helicopter was reportedly shot down on Monday while conducting a patrol mission over the Hormuz waters, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
Announcing the military response, US President Donald Trump said Washington could not ignore the attack on its forces.
“I think it’s very important to respond. They shot down a helicopter, and we are responding as we speak,” Trump told ABC News.
Earlier, the president had sought to downplay the incident during an interview with The Wall Street Journal, saying the attack was “not a big deal” and noting that the pilot survived.
According to US officials, both crew members aboard the helicopter were successfully rescued by an American sea drone shortly after the aircraft went down.
Iran Vows Retaliation
Iran swiftly condemned the US strikes, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warning that Tehran would not allow the attacks to go unanswered.
“Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the U.S. opted to test our determination. Our powerful armed forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered,” Araghchi said.
While he did not directly address the helicopter incident, the Iranian foreign minister warned foreign forces operating in the region to withdraw if they wished to avoid further confrontation.
Tensions Escalate Across the Region
Shortly after the American operation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced retaliatory attacks targeting the US Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain and an American airbase in Jordan.
Kuwaiti authorities also reported coming under attack amid the widening regional confrontation.
The latest developments have further heightened tensions in the Middle East, where a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel has already come under strain.
Before the US strikes, Iran and Israel had exchanged missile attacks in what observers described as the most serious violation of a truce brokered in April.
Although both countries later agreed to halt hostilities following calls from President Trump for an immediate ceasefire, each side warned that military operations could resume if provoked.
With fresh attacks now unfolding across the region, concerns are growing that the truce may collapse entirely, potentially triggering a broader conflict involving multiple countries and military alliances.
