The United States has launched fresh strikes on Iran after President Donald Trump accused Tehran of shooting down a US Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz – a dramatic escalation that threatens the fragile ceasefire between the two nations.
American forces began strikes at 17:00 EST (22:00 BST) on Tuesday in a mission US Central Command called "a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression." Explosions were reported along the Persian Gulf coast, including in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, and Sirik. According to US news website Axios, the strikes targeted Iranian defence and radar systems. Iranian state media reported that water supply in the Bamani district near Sirik was cut off after a reservoir was hit.
“US launches retaliatory strikes on Iran after Trump accuses Tehran of shooting down US Apache helicopter over Strait of Hormuz.”
The crisis erupted overnight when an AH-64 Apache helicopter was downed while patrolling the Strait of Hormuz. Two crew members were rescued by an American sea drone – the first time the US military publicly confirmed using such a vessel for a rescue operation. "There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack."
According to two unnamed US officials, an Iranian Shahed drone struck the helicopter, but it remains unclear whether the attack was deliberate. Iranian media outlets have not claimed responsibility, with the semi-official Mehr News Agency reporting that Iran had not claimed responsibility for the downed aircraft. A senior military official stressed that investigators had not yet determined whether the strike was intentional.
Hours after the downing, Trump had expressed renewed optimism about a peace deal, telling reporters a deal could be reached "in two or three days." The US and Iran are still nominally held to an April 8 ceasefire, now in its fourth month. But Trump’s promise to end the war – which he has made at least 37 times, according to CNN – appeared increasingly fragile as bombs fell on Iran.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a stark warning. "Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the U.S. opted to test our determination," he wrote on X. "Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered. Leave our region if you want to be safe."
Back in Washington, US House Speaker Mike Johnson said he was in the room when Trump decided to resume attacks on Iran. "We lament that it became necessary," the top Republican in Congress said, adding that "we're gonna have to take care of this business." Trump himself tried to downplay the incident in a phone interview, telling The Wall Street Journal it "wasn't a big deal" and that "the pilot is fine." But with explosions echoing across Iran’s coast and Tehran vowing revenge, the path to peace looks more obstructed than ever.