The US military launched fresh strikes against Iran on Tuesday, hours after an American AH-64 Apache attack helicopter was shot down overnight and President Donald Trump pledged a response.
US Central Command said in a statement that the strikes, described as “defensive,” began at 5 p.m. Washington time on Trump’s orders. “This mission is a proportionate response to unprovoked Iranian aggression,” the command said.
An unnamed American official said an Iranian attack drone brought down the Apache. Central Command confirmed that the two-person crew was rescued using an unmanned naval drone, a first of its kind, and that both soldiers were in stable condition.
The exchange marks a fresh escalation between Washington and Tehran, threatening what has been a fragile ceasefire between the two sides.
