U.S. Central Command said Tuesday that new attacks had been launched against Iran in retaliation for the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter.
“U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction, in response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter. The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression,” CENTCOM wrote in a post on X.
Earlier, President Donald Trump said that Iran had shot down an American military helicopter while it was patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz and noted that the United States would “respond to this attack.”
“The Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” the president said on Truth Social, adding that he had been briefed by the military on the situation.
“There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured,” Trump said. “Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”
Separately, a U.S. official said current indications were that the Apache was brough down by an Iranian drone.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X Tuesday that U.S. forces are putting themselves at risk by being in the region but did not mention any Iranian role in the downing of the helicopter.
“Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire,” Araghchi wrote. “To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave. We prefer language of diplomacy but speak other languages too.”
Earlier, U.S. Central Command said the two crew members were rescued by an unmanned boat — a first for American forces — after the aircraft went down off the coast of Oman.
A Task Force 59 unmanned surface vessel, essentially a drone boat, found and rescued the soldiers, spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins told NBC News before Trump posted his comment. Both soldiers were receiving medical care, he said, adding: “The task force began fielding these drones in theater in late March.”
