Just as President Trump has warned, US Central Command has just tweeted confirmation that the US military began 'self defense' strikes against Iran:
"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."
The extent of the latest strikes wasn’t immediately clear but they further undercut an already fragile ceasefire signed in April.
A US official tells Fox that airstrikes targeting Iran are "ongoing" and targets include air defenses and radar installations.
IRNA reports explosions in Iran's Hormozgan province, while IRIB reports aerial attacks in Qeshm, Sirik and Bandar Abbas with six explosions reported in Qeshm
The US and Iran have traded attacks several times in recent days even as Trump has said they are close to signing an agreement to bring the conflict to an end.
President Trump told ABC News Jonathan Karl:
"I think it's very important to respond. They shot down a helicopter, and we are responding as we speak."
He added:
"This is a response to what they did they did with our helicopter last night, and I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that's what this one is."
Shortly after the strikes began, IRGC-owned Tasnim News reported that Iran is threatening to retaliate for US' retaliation:
"Iran will respond to US aggression.
As warned hours earlier, Iran will deliver a decisive response to the US aggression, which is being carried out under the pretext of an Apache helicopter crash."
Odds of a peace deal are sliding and oil prices are rising (though not significantly).
Following earlier reports that a US AH-64 Apache helicopter had gone down over the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman in an unprecedented first of the Iran war, moments ago Trump said on Truth Social that he had "been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz. There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack."
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