US Launches Fresh Strikes on Iran After Apache Helicopter Downing

The United States on Tuesday launched a new wave of military strikes against Iran, describing the operation as a response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter off the coast of Oman a day earlier. In a post on social media, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes began at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) and were carried out as “self-defense strikes.” According to the command, the attacks were a “proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.” A US official told CNN that the latest operation was intended to serve as a warning to Iran and that Washington does not believe the strikes will derail ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict. Sources familiar with the operation told CNN that the initial strikes targeted Iranian air defense and radar systems around the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway critical to global energy supplies. One of the sources said additional strikes were expected. According to CBS News, two unnamed US officials confirmed that among the targets of the airstrike “were Iranian military radar stations.”

The military action follows the downing of a US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter on Monday, June 8, 2026. According to a source familiar with the incident, the aircraft was struck by an Iranian Shahed drone. However, a US official said it remains unclear whether the drone deliberately targeted the helicopter or whether the strike was accidental. CBS News, citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter, reported that the AH-64 helicopter crashed because it “collided with an Iranian military Shahed-136 suicide drone.” The source did not specify whether the collision was a random incident or had other causes. US President Donald Trump confirmed the incident on Truth Social, stating: “I have just 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.” The Apache helicopter has played a significant role in the conflict, particularly in efforts to intercept and destroy Iranian drones. Used by the United States and regional allies including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the aircraft is equipped with a 30-millimeter chain gun and rockets that military analysts regard as a cost-effective tool against drone threats. This marks the first loss of such equipment since the start of the war with Iran.

In a first-of-its-kind operation, the two crew members of the downed Apache were rescued by an uncrewed surface drone (USV) operated by US Naval Forces Central Command. The military noted that the rescue operation involved a US Navy Corsair-class unmanned surface vessel, which entered service in late March 2026. The vessel transported the pilots to another location on the water, where they were picked up by a helicopter. According to CENTCOM, both soldiers were rescued in stable condition.

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In response to the downing, CENTCOM announced that US fighter jets from the Air Force and Navy struck multiple Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz. According to Axios, citing a US official, the targets included Iranian air defense systems, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites in the south of the country. Explosions were reported across several locations along Iran’s southern coast, including Sirik, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Jask, and Kouh-e Mobarak. US House Speaker Mike Johnson described the strikes as “proportional and limited” and noted that he was at the White House with President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth when the decision was made to resume attacks on Iran. “We lament that it became necessary,” Johnson said. The strikes were “completed” after more than three hours of military action, with CENTCOM adding that the US remained ready to defend against “unjustified Iranian aggression.”

Soon after the US strikes, Iran launched broad retaliatory attacks against American targets across the region. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it had launched a missile attack at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan — a facility known to host US F-35 fighter jets and other aircraft — as well as targeting sites in Kuwait and Bahrain. Kuwait’s military said its air defense systems were engaging what it described as “hostile aerial targets,” and both Kuwait and Bahrain activated emergency alerts and reported that air defenses were active in repelling attacks. Jordan’s armed forces said they intercepted and shot down five missiles launched from Iran toward the al-Azraq area in Jordan. The military stated that debris from the interception operation fell on Jordanian territory but caused no injuries or material damage. Officials added that explosives experts were examining debris recovered from the intercepted missiles.

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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a stern warning to the United States in the aftermath of the renewed attacks, stating that “no attack will go unanswered.” In a post on X, Araghchi wrote: “Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered. Leave our region if you want to be safe.” Earlier, Araghchi had warned that foreign military forces near Iran’s territory “are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents or potentially being caught in crossfire,” adding that “to reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave. We prefer language of diplomacy but speak other languages too.” Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also struck a defiant tone on social media, posting: “We prefer the language of diplomacy, but we speak other languages far more fluently. Break your commitments, and we’ll switch to what we speak best.”

The IRGC stated that US strikes had damaged a telecommunications tower and two water tanks in Iran. Iranian state media reported that two water storage tanks in Sirik’s Bamani district were damaged, disrupting local drinking water supplies. Iran acknowledged strikes around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island but provided no further details on military damage. US officials have yet to comment on reports of attacks on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, and it remains unclear if there has been any damage or casualties from the Iranian retaliation.

The latest strikes mark another escalation in the conflict between Washington and Tehran, even as diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire and broader peace agreement continue. Notably, the exchange of fire came despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. Earlier this week, US Vice President JD Vance disclosed that Washington and Tehran were close to agreeing on a deal to extend their ceasefire, but the potential breakthrough still hung on President Trump’s approval. President Trump has reportedly told aides that an agreement with Iran remains achievable. According to Politico, a senior White House official stated that “nothing changes where the deal stands right now” and that Trump believes an Iran deal is “still close” despite the retaliatory strikes. Trump himself had predicted on Monday that the US would achieve “total victory” over Iran within two weeks, expressing confidence that negotiations would ultimately produce a breakthrough. However, the downing of the Apache and subsequent strikes have further strained a fragile ceasefire that had been in place since April, threatening to unravel diplomatic progress. The conflict, now in its fourth month, began when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026.

US Launches Fresh Strikes on Iran After Apache Helicopter Downing

Iran Halts Military Operation Against Israel, Warns of Stronger Response if Attacks Continue

Iran’s military command on Monday announced the suspension of its operation against Israel after the two countries exchanged missile and air strikes for the first time since an April ceasefire.

In a statement broadcast on Iranian state television, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said Iran had delivered what it described as a “painful response” to Israeli actions and was therefore ending its current military operations against Israel.

“Accordingly, the cessation of armed forces operations is hereby announced,” the statement said.

However, the command warned that the halt was conditional and could be reversed if Israel continued what Tehran described as acts of aggression, particularly in southern Lebanon.

“It is emphasised that should acts of aggression and hostility continue, including in southern Lebanon, much more severe and crushing measures than before will follow,” the statement added.

The announcement came after a sharp escalation in regional tensions over the weekend. Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israeli targets after Israel carried out strikes linked to Hezbollah positions and other targets in Lebanon. Israel responded with air strikes on sites inside Iran, marking the most serious direct exchange between the two sides since the truce that took effect in April.

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The latest flare-up raised fears that the ceasefire brokered earlier this year could collapse entirely and trigger a broader regional conflict involving Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement and other Iran-backed groups.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump urged both sides to stop military action and preserve ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a broader peace arrangement in the region. Following the exchange of strikes, both Tehran and Jerusalem indicated that they were pausing further attacks for the time being, although neither side ruled out renewed military action if provoked.

The confrontation also rattled global energy markets, with oil prices surging amid concerns that a prolonged conflict could threaten shipping routes and energy supplies in the Middle East before retreating after Iran announced the end of its current operation.

Despite the announcement, analysts cautioned that the situation remains highly fragile, with tensions over Lebanon, regional security, and Iran’s broader dispute with Israel and its allies continuing to pose a risk of renewed hostilities.

Iran Halts Military Operation Against Israel, Warns of Stronger Response if Attacks Continue