New Delhi: The United States launched military strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, marking a significant escalation in tensions
between Washington and Tehran. The action came after US President Donald Trump said an American Army Apache helicopter had been brought down in the region.
According to US officials, the helicopter was hit by an Iranian one-way attack drone. Trump said both pilots survived the incident without injuries and made it clear that the United States would respond.
American military officials described the operation as a measured response to what they called an unjustified act of aggression. Reports from US officials indicated that several Iranian air defence and radar installations around the Strait of Hormuz were targeted during the strikes.
Explosions reported in Southern Iran
Following the operation, reports of explosions emerged from different parts of southern Iran. Iranian media outlets said blasts were heard in eastern areas of Hormozgan province, while additional explosions were reported in the port city of Bandar Abbas.
State media in Iran also reported a projectile impact in Sirik and said that Qeshm Island had come under attack. The reports suggested that multiple locations close to the strategically important Strait of Hormuz were affected.
The waterway remains one of the world’s most critical shipping routes, handling a large share of global oil exports. Any military activity in the area is closely watched by governments and energy markets around the world.
Iran issues warning after US action
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi did not directly comment on the reported helicopter incident but warned about the risks posed by foreign military forces operating near Iran.
“To reduce risk, the best solution is for them to leave,” Araghchi said in a social media post.
After the US strikes, he issued a stronger warning, saying Iran would not leave any attack or threat unanswered. He also urged foreign military forces to leave the region if they wished to remain safe and referred to historical examples of what he described as the consequences faced by outside powers in the Persian Gulf.
Rising concerns over regional stability
Before the US operation, Iranian state media quoted a military source as saying that no offensive Iranian air operations had taken place in the Strait of Hormuz during the previous 24 hours. The source also warned that Iran would respond decisively to any renewed hostility.
The latest exchange represents one of the most serious direct confrontations between the United States and Iran in recent years, raising concerns about regional stability, maritime security and the potential impact on global energy supplies.
