U.S. launches retaliatory strikes against Iran

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(The Center Square) – U.S. forces have begun launching “self-defense strikes” against Iran after President Donald Trump announced a response to the Islamic Republic's shooting down of a U.S. Army helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Central Command said the strikes against Iran began at 5 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday. CENTCOM says the strikes were directed by the president and the “mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.”

Iranian forces shot down the Army Apache helicopter on Monday evening. Two soldiers on board were rescued and uninjured in the incident.

It is unclear if the latest round will impact the fragile ceasefire, as it follows a handful of exchanges of fire between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic. Over the weekend, Israel and Iran exchanged missiles, with missiles launched toward Israel being either intercepted, flaming out or landing in open spaces.

Trump said earlier Tuesday that the U.S. would be responding to the unprovoked attack on the military helicopter.

“I have just been informed by our great military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post. “There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”

The region around the Strait of Hormuz has seen its fair share of exchanges of fire between the U.S. and Iran in recent weeks, with the Islamic Republic essentially holding the vital waterway hostage since the conflict began on Feb. 28.

Trump has maintained a commitment to seeking a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, saying the U.S. could determine within a couple of days whether a deal can be struck.

The president quashed concerns that the recent dust-up between Israel and Iran was putting the fragile ceasefire in further jeopardy.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "was hit hard by Iran, and he hit back. I can’t blame him for that. Now they’ve called it quits, so they’re going to leave each other alone for another week or something,” the president told reporters Monday evening. “They both agreed, through me to stop.”

Trump claimed once again, as he has for weeks, that a deal is on the horizon, reiterating his demand that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

“We’re in the final throes of a very good deal that will not allow, in any way or form nuclear weapons.” The president added.

This is a developing story.