TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Donald Trump said the United States (US) launched strikes against Iran on Tuesday after a US Army Apache helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, an incident he blamed on Tehran. Iran denied responsibility and warned it would respond to any military action.
As reported by Indiana Gazette, US Central Command described the attacks as “a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.” Iranian state media reported explosions on Qeshm Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz, before later saying the wave of US strikes in southern Iran had subsided.
Trump claimed Iran had shot down the helicopter while it was conducting a patrol mission over the strategic waterway and said the United States had no choice but to respond.
“The United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack,” Trump wrote on social media.
The latest confrontation has further strained a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The truce, which has been in place for two months, came under pressure after both countries exchanged fire for the first time since it took effect. Iranian state television reported that Israeli attacks on Tuesday killed at least two members of the country's air-defense units.
The Apache helicopter crash occurred off the coast of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping routes. According to a US official familiar with the investigation, the aircraft collided with an Iranian drone before going down.
Authorities have not determined whether the collision was intentional, and official statements continue to describe the incident as under investigation.
According to Gulf Coast News, the two Army aviators aboard the helicopter survived the crash without injuries and were rescued in what US military officials described as the first known drone-assisted rescue at sea conducted by the United States military.
The rescue operation involved a 24-foot autonomous vessel known as a Corsair, operated by the US Navy's Task Force 59, an experimental unit focused on uncrewed maritime systems and artificial intelligence. The drone boat located the pilots approximately two hours after the crash and transported them to a safe location, where they were later recovered by helicopter.
Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said the rescue demonstrated the growing role of autonomous systems in military operations.
The Apache helicopters have played a significant role in US operations in the region, particularly in enforcing restrictions on Iranian oil shipments and monitoring maritime activity in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected Trump's accusations and suggested that the presence of foreign military forces near Iran's territory created the risk of accidents and confrontations.
“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,” Araghchi wrote on social media.
He later warned that Iran would retaliate against the latest US attacks.
“Iranian forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered,” Araghchi said. “Leave our region if you want to be safe.”
The renewed escalation comes despite ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a broader agreement between Washington and Tehran. Trump said earlier this week that negotiations were progressing and suggested a deal could be reached within days.
“We're very close to having a very, very good, strong, powerful deal,” Trump said.
However, significant differences remain. The United States continues to demand that Iran surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, while Tehran insists on sanctions relief and access to frozen assets before any final agreement can be completed.
The broader regional conflict also remains unresolved. Fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon continues, with Israel expanding military operations in southern Lebanon.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military issued a new evacuation warning for parts of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, including areas that had previously avoided airstrikes. Israeli officials said they believed Hezbollah members were operating in the area.
The conflict, which began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, has already disrupted global energy markets and contributed to rising prices for fuel, food, and other essential goods worldwide.
With US strikes now underway and Iran promising retaliation, concerns are growing that the latest confrontation could further destabilize the region and complicate already fragile diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider war.
Read: Trump Warns Netanyahu Against Escalating Conflict With Iran
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