The United States launched what it described as self defence strikes against Iran after a US Army Apache helicopter was reportedly shot down over the Strait of Hormuz…reports Asian Lite News Desk
The United States and Iran traded military accusations on Wednesday as tensions in the Gulf region escalated sharply following the reported downing of a US Army Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces had launched what it described as “self defence strikes” against Iran in response to the incident, which Washington blamed on Tehran.
In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said the strikes began at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday at the direction of President Donald Trump.
“US Central Command forces began launching self defence strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction, in response to yesterday’s downing of a US Army Apache helicopter,” CENTCOM said, describing the operation as a “proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.”
Earlier, President Trump said an Iranian strike had brought down a US Apache helicopter conducting patrol operations over the Strait of Hormuz. He stated that both pilots survived the incident unharmed but warned that the United States would respond.
“I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack,” he added.
Iran, meanwhile, issued strong warnings to foreign military forces operating near its territory. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said military deployments in the region faced significant risks and suggested that foreign forces should leave the area.
“Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire. To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave,” Araghchi wrote on X.
Iranian state media later reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had carried out strikes against US military facilities across the region. According to reports carried by ISNA and Press TV, the IRGC claimed it targeted multiple American air and naval installations, including facilities in Jordan and Bahrain.
The IRGC also claimed responsibility for a drone strike on the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and alleged that several military bases had been hit in retaliation for US actions against targets inside Iran.
The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from US authorities regarding the reported attacks.
The latest developments mark a significant escalation in hostilities between Washington and Tehran and come against the backdrop of growing regional instability involving Iran and Israel. Recent weeks have seen a series of military exchanges, including strikes on Iranian infrastructure and reported attacks on Israeli military facilities.
With both sides exchanging threats and military actions, concerns are mounting over the potential for a broader regional conflict centred around the strategically vital Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz.
