US Announces Retaliatory Strike on Iran After Apache Helicopter Shot Down

The United States military has launched a proportional retaliatory strike against Iran. The planned strike is in response to the shooting down of an Apache helicopter a day earlier in the Strait of Hormuz. “American forces began launching self-defence strikes against Iran at 5pm ET (4am WIB) today at the direction of the Commander in Chief, in response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter yesterday,” US Central Command said in a post on X, as reported by AFP on Wednesday. “This mission is a proportional response to Iran’s unjustified aggression,” it added. An American Apache helicopter crashed in the Strait of Hormuz within Iranian territory. Trump said the helicopter was shot down by Iran. Shortly after the US announcement, Iranian media reported that explosions were heard on Iran’s southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz. The Apache helicopter is the second manned aircraft Washington has confirmed was shot down by Iran during the Middle East war, following the loss of an F-15 fighter jet in April. The downing of the aircraft and the potential US response represent the latest in a series of threats to a ceasefire that has been in place since 8 April as the United States and Iran struggle to negotiate an end to the war. In a statement, Trump said he had been informed “that last night Iran shot down one of our highly advanced Apache helicopters while it was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.” No aircrew were injured. However, Trump said the attack would be retaliated against. “The United States must respond to this attack,” Trump said.