Trending 
US forces launched strikes against Iran on Tuesday in retaliation for the downing of an American helicopter a day earlier, President Donald Trump said.
Speaking to ABC News, Trump described the US response as “very strong, very powerful,” saying it was in response to “what they did with our helicopter last night.”
US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the strikes, saying operations began at 5 pm ET under the Commander-in-Chief’s direction and described the mission as “a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.” Iranian media reported explosions near the southern coast, close to the Strait of Hormuz.
The helicopter incident marks the second confirmed loss of a US crewed aircraft in the ongoing Middle East conflict, following an F-15 fighter downed in April. CENTCOM reported both crew members were rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition, aided by a naval surface drone.
Despite an April 8 truce, renewed attacks by Iran and Israel over the weekend tested the agreement. Israeli airstrikes continued in Lebanon, with at least 11 fatalities reported in Tyre on Tuesday. The Israeli military ordered evacuations of the entire city, prompting residents to flee northwards, AFP correspondents observed.
Tehran has insisted that any lasting halt to hostilities must include Lebanon, where Hezbollah’s rocket attacks earlier in March drew Israel into extensive retaliatory campaigns, leaving more than 3,600 dead.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned foreign forces near the Strait of Hormuz of the “constant risk” posed by their presence, urging a diplomatic resolution but noting readiness to respond if necessary.
The strikes disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for global oil, pushing West Texas Intermediate prices up 1.4 per cent to $89.40 per barrel, reversing earlier declines linked to Trump’s remarks on potential negotiations.
