by Israel National News
At Trump's orders, US forces launch three waves of precision strikes on Iranian radar and air defense sites, following the downing of a US Apache in the Strait of Hormuz.
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| US Army in Strait of Hormuz CENTCOM |
The US Army launched three waves of strikes on targets in Iran overnight Tuesday, in response to Monday’s downing of a US Army Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces struck Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz with precision munitions from US Air Force and Navy fighter jets.
“The operation was a proportional response to recent attacks on US forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters," the statement added.
“US forces remain vigilant and postured to defend against unjustified Iranian aggression," it stressed.
Earlier, CENTCOM confirmed that its forces began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at the direction of US President Donald Trump.
“The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression," it stated.
The announcement came shortly after Iranian media outlets reported at least four explosions near Sirik Port in the Bandar Abbas district of the country. Explosions were also reported on Qeshm Island.
The Aerospace Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) responded to the US strikes and threatened it would deliver a “heavy response" to what it described as “the enemy’s hostile actions."
Later, the IRGC claimed it carried out a drone attack on the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain in response to the US strikes on Iran.
In a statement carried by Tasnim news agency, the IRGC said its naval force targeted the Fifth Fleet at 2:30 a.m. local time.
There was no immediate confirmation from US or Bahraini authorities.
A senior US official stated that the strikes targeted several Iranian air defense and radar systems around the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the operation is ongoing.
A US official told CNN that the strikes were intended to serve as a warning to Iran, noting that Washington assesses they will not jeopardize negotiations to end the war.
Trump struck a defiant tone earlier on Tuesday, saying Iran had shot down the American helicopter and that the US would respond to that attack.
"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. There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack," he wrote on Truth Social.
Just before the US strikes began, however, Trump downplayed the downing of the Apache.
In a phone call with The Wall Street Journal, Trump said the incident "wasn't a big deal" and stressed that "the pilot is fine."
As CENTCOM announced the retaliatory strikes against Iran, Trump told ABC News, "I think it's very important to respond. They shot down a helicopter, and we are responding as we speak."
He added, "This is a response to what they did with our helicopter last night, and I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that's what this one is."
Israel National News
Source: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/428389
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