The United States carried out multiple airstrikes in Iran early Wednesday local time, following accusations that Iranian forces shot down a US military helicopter. According to Iranian state media, explosions were reported in Qeshm Island, Jask, Sirik, and Bandar Abbas. The US described the operation as a proportional response to what it called Iran’s unjustified aggression. Explosions were also heard along Iran’s Persian Gulf coast and near the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on X that its forces used precision munitions from Air Force and Navy aircraft to strike Iranian air defense systems, ground control centers, and radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes followed reports from US media that an Apache helicopter had crashed in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. President Donald Trump claimed that Iranian forces shot down the helicopter, which fell into the Gulf of Oman.

The developments have heightened tensions in the Middle East, with concerns that the situation could escalate further if retaliatory actions continue.