US forces carried out what they described as ‘self-defence’ strikes against Iranian targets Tuesday evening US time, hours after Washington said an American Apache helicopter had been shot down off the coast of Oman.
US Central Command said on X that the operation was a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression, but did not identify specific targets or detail the extent of any damage.
Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported strikes on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz and said there were at least six explosions.
President Donald Trump told an ABC News reporter the strikes were a response to the helicopter incident and should be strong and powerful. He posted on Truth Social that he had been informed by the military that an Apache was shot down while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz and that the US would have to respond.
Iran has not publicly acknowledged shooting down the helicopter. Iranian Foreign Ministry official Seyed Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that foreign forces operating near Iran’s territory face constant risks from human error, accidents or being caught in crossfire, and warned that Iran’s armed forces would leave no attack or threat unanswered, urging foreign forces to leave the region if they wanted to be safe.
Separately, Bloomberg reported that mediation efforts between the US and Iran to strike a broader agreement remain active, with talks involving multiple parties expected to continue this week. Earlier in the day, President Trump said he expects to announce “complete and total victory” within two weeks and expressed hope for a deal that would prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Details about the targets hit, casualties or longer-term military and diplomatic implications were not immediately clear as officials from both sides continued to issue public statements and analysts awaited further confirmation.