The US military said it carried out fresh strikes against Iran on Tuesday, hours after US President Donald Trump vowed to respond to the downing of a US Army Apache attack helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation was launched as a direct response to what it described as Iranian aggression.
Also Read | US Apache helicopter goes down near Strait of Hormuz, crew rescued
“US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 pm ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction, in response to yesterday’s downing of a US Army Apache helicopter. The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression,” the US military statement said.
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…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 9, 2026
Explosions reported across Hormozgan province
Following the US action, Iranian media reported explosions in several parts of Hormozgan province.
Iran's Mehr and Fars news agencies said blasts were heard in areas including Kouhestak, Sirik, Minab and the coastal city of Bandar Abbas. The reports noted that authorities had not yet determined the exact locations of the explosions.
The developments have raised fresh concerns about the stability of the already fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Also Read | The world spent $119 billion on nuclear weapons last year. Here's who led the list
Why did the US attack?
A US official told Reuters that a one-way Iranian attack drone was responsible for bringing down the Apache helicopter. Trump also blamed Iran for the incident, saying the country had shot down one of the US military’s advanced helicopters while it was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military said both crew members survived the crash and were rescued by a sea drone: a first-of-its-kind recovery operation. The personnel are reported to be in stable condition.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 10, 2026
Iran denies deliberately targeting helicopter
Iran, however, rejected claims that it intentionally brought down the aircraft.
Per Hindustan Times, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that the strait is "thousands of miles away from US shores".
“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."
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi told Al Jazeera that the helicopter that crashed over the Strait of Hormuz was not deliberately targeted by Iran.
Also Read | Trump warns Netanyahu against Iran strikes, says Israel could be 'on your own very soon'
The latest escalation comes a day after Iran and Israel exchanged fire for the first time since a two-month ceasefire took effect.
FAQs:
Why did the US launch strikes on Iran?
The US said the strikes were a response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter.
Where were explosions reported in Iran?
Iranian media reported explosions in Kouhestak, Sirik, Minab and Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province.
