Washington, United States. The U.S. military said it completed strikes against Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday after a U.S. helicopter was downed. Reuters reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards responded by striking the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
U.S. military response
U.S. Central Command said American forces began the strikes at 17:00 EST on Tuesday in response to the helicopter downing. In a statement, Centcom said the mission was “a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.”
Strikes near the Strait of Hormuz
Centcom said the completed strikes targeted Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Blasts were reported along the coast of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Helicopter crew rescued
Centcom said the two crew members of the downed U.S. Apache helicopter were rescued by an American sea drone. It said both pilots were safe and uninjured.
Trump statement
President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that both pilots were safe and uninjured. He added, “Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”