TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. Central Command said it conducted self-defense strikes against Iranian military sites on June 9 in response to the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter the previous day near the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz, CENTCOM said in a statement. U.S. Air Force and Navy fighter jets used precision munitions in the operation, which officials described as a proportional response.
"Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces downed the Apache helicopter on Monday," according to U.S. officials. The two crew members were rescued uninjured.
CENTCOM stated the action was taken at the direction of the Commander in Chief. "The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression," the command said.
The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the region and a fragile ceasefire. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway for global oil shipments.
Iranian officials have described the U.S. strikes as aggressive. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said foreign forces operating near Iranian territory "are at constant risk," according to a social media post reported by news outlets.
Iran's military has claimed it carried out retaliatory actions against U.S. targets in the region, though details of any damage or casualties from those reported strikes could not be independently verified.
No U.S. service members were reported injured in the initial helicopter incident or the subsequent strikes, according to CENTCOM.
The latest exchange follows earlier U.S. self-defense actions in the region against Iranian drone and missile threats. U.S. forces remain positioned to respond to further threats, CENTCOM said.
The developments come as broader diplomatic efforts regarding the region continue. Details on the full extent of damage from the June 9 strikes remain unclear.
