US Launches Strikes on Iran After Downing of US Helicopter
The United States military launched a series of strikes against Iran in the early hours of Wednesday morning in response to the downing of an American AH-64 Apache helicopter, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM). “This mission is a proportionate response to Iran’s unjustifiable aggression,” CENTCOM stated via its official X account. The post indicated the strikes were carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump.
President Trump had previously accused Iran of being responsible for the helicopter’s crash and vowed retaliation, describing the US response as “very firm, very strong.”
The US strikes targeted a number of Iranian air defence systems, ground control stations, and radar installations near the Strait of Hormuz, CENTCOM detailed. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by declaring Tehran would retaliate. “Despite their battlefield defeats, the US chooses to test our determination,” Araghchi wrote on X, adding that the US must “leave our region” if it desires security. “The history of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on the ill fate of meddling outsiders,” he wrote.
Following this statement, Iran launched attacks on US military bases in the Gulf region and Jordan. According to local Iranian media, Tehran used ballistic missiles in the assault, prompting Kuwait and Bahrain to sound warning sirens and operate their air defences to repel the attacks. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it had conducted a drone strike against the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain in retaliation for the overnight US strikes, state media reported. Jordan stated it shot down five missiles fired by Iran at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, which houses F-35 fighter jets and other US aircraft.
According to US media reports, the strikes on Iran were carried out in three waves, targeting roughly 20 locations. Local Iranian media reported explosions in several areas, with the Fars news agency noting blasts in the eastern part of Hormozgan Province, including the towns of Kuhestak, Sirik, and Minab. Mehr news agency also reported explosions in Bandar Abbas.
The incident began when a US Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz after colliding with an Iranian drone, according to an anonymous US official. There has been no confirmation as to whether the collision was intentional, with official statements indicating the incident is still under investigation. A US military drone rescue operation successfully saved both crew members on Tuesday local time. President Trump confirmed the helicopter crew were “alive and unharmed.”
The escalating exchange of hostilities further deteriorates the conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February. The global economy has been rocked by the conflict, triggering soaring energy prices and sharp increases in basic goods. Prior to accusing Iran of downing the helicopter, Trump had expressed optimism about negotiations with Iran, though he did not provide reasons. Mediators, largely led by Pakistan, have spent weeks trying to realise a deal, but differences remain. The US insists Iran hand over its enriched uranium stockpiles, believed to have been buried during air strikes in a 12-day war in 2025, while Iran seeks the release of its frozen assets before any agreement, a condition Trump has rejected.