U.S. forces struck Iran Tuesday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time in retaliation for a downed U.S. Army Apache helicopter, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced.
The attack came at the direct order of President Donald Trump.
CENTCOM labeled the operation “a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression” in a post on X. The strikes came hours after Trump said Iran had shot down the Apache and vowed to respond. These are the latest strikes on Iran since the U.S. launched Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28.
“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.”
Two U.S. officials alleged an Iranian drone struck the helicopter, though one said it was not known if it was on purpose, CBS News reported. Trump said both pilots aboard were “safe and uninjured” in his Truth Social post. CENTCOM confirmed that the personnel aboard the helicopter were retrieved safely, noting that the incident remained under investigation.
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
Trump told ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl he considered it “very important to respond.” “They shot down a helicopter, and we are responding as we speak,” he said.
“I believe in responding in a strong manner. I always have throughout my life,” Trump said. “This is a response to what they did to our helicopter last night, and I believe that the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that’s what this one is.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi responded to the strikes in a post Tuesday on X. “Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the U.S. opted to test our determination,” he claimed. “Our Poweful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered. Leave our region if you want to be safe.”
The strikes mark the latest escalation in tensions between the U.S. and Iran following Operation Epic Fury in late February.
