U.S. Central Command said its 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 command posted the statement on X.
CENTCOM said the operation was “a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.” The statement followed the military’s earlier disclosure that an AH-64 Apache helicopter had gone down on Monday evening near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters.
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…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 9, 2026
Two crew members were rescued by American forces within two hours using a Navy drone vessel. They were reported to be in stable condition.
Trump blamed Iran for the incident and said Washington “must, of necessity, respond to this attack.” The latest U.S. strikes add to a growing series of military exchanges between the United States and Iran.
The exchanges have raised questions about a fragile ceasefire that has been in place between the two countries since April. The latest strike also casts doubt on whether a deal to end the war with Iran can be signed within days, as Trump has forecast this week.
The war has passed the 100-day mark, but Trump has said for weeks that a deal is imminent. The article said that stance reflects his unwillingness to return to open warfare with Iran.
The president has focused on reaching an agreement with Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has effectively closed the waterway since the start of the conflict, sending energy prices higher.
Trump told the New York Post last week that he would end the ceasefire with Iran if Tehran killed any American troops. Iranian officials have also issued warnings to the United States.
“Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire,” Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X. “To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave. We prefer language of diplomacy but speak other languages too.”
Source: The Hill.
