The United States military has renewed its attacks on Iran following President Donald Trump's vow to retaliate for the downing of an American helicopter. US Central Command announced that Trump ordered the strikes, which were launched at 5pm ET on Tuesday.
Proportional Response to Iranian Aggression
Central Command stated in a social media post: "The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression." Trump emphasized the importance of responding to the Iranian attack, telling ABC News: "They shot down a helicopter and we are responding as we speak. I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that's what this one is."
Helicopter Downing Over Strait of Hormuz
The incident occurred just hours after Trump blamed Iranian forces for attacking and downing an Apache helicopter over the contested Strait of Hormuz. This marks the first aircraft of its type to be destroyed during the conflict. Trump noted that both pilots involved were safe and uninjured, but stressed that the United States must respond to this attack. A US official told CNN that it was unclear whether the drone had targeted the helicopter intentionally or inadvertently.
An uncrewed US Navy surface drone boat "found and rescued" the two soldiers, who were both in stable condition, within two hours of the incident.
Strain on Ceasefire Deal
The attacks represent the latest strain on an already fragile ceasefire deal between both sides, which has yet to lead to ongoing peace despite numerous negotiations. Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned the US against breaking its commitments and threatened escalation if diplomatic efforts collapse. Just minutes before Trump's statement, Ghalibaf said: "We prefer the language of diplomacy but we speak other languages far more fluently. Break your commitments and we'll switch to what we speak best. You ride the horse you saddled."
