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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military launched airstrikes and Iran retaliated Wednesday following the crash of an Army helicopter near the Strait
of Hormuz that U.S. President Donald Trump blamed on the Islamic Republic. Iran launched attacks in Bahrain and Kuwait, which both sounded alerts and fired air defenses in response. Iran also said it targeted an air base in Jordan hosting U.S. forces, which was not immediately acknowledged either by American or Jordanian officials.
Since the U.S. and Israel began striking Iran on Feb. 28, the war has shaken the global economy, driven up energy prices around the world, and made many basics, including food, more expensive.Officials have been unable to turn the April ceasefire into a deal to permanently end the conflict, particularly as Israel intensifies and expands its military campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah.
Fighter jets from the U.S. Air Force and Navy conducted the strikes in Iran, the U.S. military's Central Command said, targeting air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites. Iran acknowledged strikes around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, but gave no details on the damage.
The operation was described as a proportional response to recent attacks on U.S. forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters, according to Central Command.
Trump stated in a social media post that Iran had shot down the aircraft while it was on patrol over the strait and declared that the U.S. must, of necessity, respond to this attack. Iran's top diplomat warned that foreign military forces near its territory are at constant risk and vowed there would be a response to the new U.S. strikes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X, 'Iranian forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered. Leave our region if you want to be safe.'
The downing of the Apache attack helicopter and the strikes by the U.S. military further strained a two-month ceasefire, a day after Iran and Israel exchanged fire for the first time since the fragile truce took effect. Iranian state television reported that Israeli attacks killed at least two members of the country’s air-defense units.
The Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter went down after colliding with an Iranian drone, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. It was unclear whether the collision was intentional, and official statements indicated the crash is under investigation.
In a notable operation, a drone boat rescued two aviators about two hours after their aircraft went down during a patrol off the coast of Oman, U.S. Central Command reported. Trump confirmed that both service members were safe and uninjured.
The U.S. service members were spotted and picked up by a drone boat that transported them to another location on the water, where they were then picked up by a helicopter, according to Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command. This incident marked the first known drone rescue at sea by the U.S. military.
AH-64 Apache helicopters have been a key asset for the American military as it enforces a blockade on Iranian crude oil shipments and tankers, seeking to pressure Tehran into a deal. These helicopters have also been utilized by the United Arab Emirates to shoot down Iranian drones.
The drone used for the rescue was a 24-foot vessel named Corsair, manufactured by Saronic Technologies. It was assigned to the Navy’s Task Force 59, established in 2021 as the Navy’s first uncrewed and artificial intelligence unit, focusing on maritime security in the Middle East, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal.
Shortly after Trump accused Iran of downing the aircraft, Araghchi remarked that the strait is 'thousands of miles away from U.S. shores.' He suggested that foreign forces in proximity to Iranian territory are at constant risk due to their own human errors or potentially being caught in crossfire.
Before blaming Iran for the helicopter incident, Trump had expressed renewed optimism regarding negotiations with Iran, although he did not specify the reasons for this optimism. Mediators, predominantly led by Pakistan, have been attempting to finalize a deal, but both Iran and the U.S. have maintained hard-line positions.
The U.S. seeks to ensure Iran relinquishes its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which is believed to be entombed following American airstrikes during the 12-day war in 2025. However, Iran demands relief from sanctions and the release of frozen assets before a final agreement, which Trump has rejected.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah remains a top priority for Iran. Lebanon’s army chief, Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, traveled to Pakistan recently to meet with Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, a key figure in the Iran-U.S. discussions.
Haykal's visit coincides with Lebanon's government taking a firmer stance on Hezbollah while struggling to disarm the influential militia. Hezbollah expressed gratitude to Iran for attacking Israel 'in defense of our Lebanese people,' suggesting that Lebanon's government should seize the opportunity to improve relations with Tehran.
This report has been corrected to clarify that the rescue of the two aviators, not the helicopter crash, occurred at 3:30 a.m.
Superville and Toropin reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in New York, Will Weissert in Washington, Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.
