U.S. And Iran Launch Airstrikes After Trump Blamed Tehran For Downing Army Helicopter

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Kuwaiti air defenses opened fire Wednesday as the small Middle Eastern nation came under attack from Iran.

Iran said early Wednesday morning that it targeted the country in retaliation for American airstrikes.

Iran also claimed responsibility for attacks targeting Bahrain and Jordan.

Tehran had vowed to respond after the United States launched an airstrike on Iran following the crash of an Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump had previously said on social media that Iran shot down the plane while patrolling the Bosphorus.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Below is AP’s earlier story.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military launched an airstrike on Iran after an Iranian helicopter crashed Wednesday. Strait of Hormuz US President Donald Trump’s claim that he blames the Islamic Republic.

Tehran has vowed to respond by once again questioning efforts to reach a permanent ceasefire in the Iran war, which has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz and skyrocketed global energy prices. Missile warning sirens blared in the island kingdom of Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, which Tehran says it targeted in retaliation.

The US military’s Central Command said US Air Force and Navy warplanes carried out the attacks and targeted “air defenses, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites”. Iran acknowledged the attacks around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island but did not provide details of the damage.

“The operation was a proportionate response to recent attacks on US forces and international commercial ships passing through regional waters,” Central Command said.

Trump had previously stated in a social media post that Iran shot down the plane while patrolling the Bosphorus and declared that the United States “must necessarily respond to this attack.” Iran’s top diplomat said foreign military forces close to its territory were “at constant risk” and later promised to respond to any new US strikes.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in his statement on the X channel, said that Iranian forces “will not leave any attack or threat unanswered.” “If you want to be safe, leave our area.”

The shooting down of an Apache attack helicopter and attacks by the US military the next day further strained the two-month ceasefire Iran and Israel exchanged fire for the first time since the fragile ceasefire came into effect. Iranian state television reported on Tuesday that at least two members of the country’s air defense units were killed in Israeli strikes.

The war has been going on since the US and Israel began striking Iran on February 28. shook the global economyIt raised energy prices worldwide and laid many foundations, food includedmore expensive.

Authorities could not return April ceasefire Reaching an agreement to permanently end the conflict, especially at a time when Israel is intensifying and expanding its military campaign in Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The Army’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed after colliding with an Iranian drone, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

While it is not yet clear whether the collision was intentional or not, official statements only stated that the accident was under investigation. CNN, CBS News and other outlets had previously reported the collision.

In the first known operation by the American military, a drone boat rescued two airmen at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, about two hours after their plane crashed during a patrol off the coast of Oman, U.S. Central Command said.

Trump said both soldiers were “safe and uninjured.”

U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said the U.S. soldiers were spotted and picked up by a drone boat that took them to another location on the water, where they were picked up by a helicopter. He initially said the drone took the two to shore but did not elaborate on the updated timeline.

This is the first known unmanned aerial vehicle rescue operation by the U.S. military at sea, Hawkins said.

AH-64 Apache helicopters have been an important asset for the American military, which has implemented a blockade of Iranian crude oil shipments and tankers to pressure Tehran to make a deal. Helicopters were also used by the United Arab Emirates to shoot down Iranian drones.

The drone used to perform the rescue was a 24-foot (7.3-meter) ship called the Corsair, Hawkins said. Manufactured by Saronic Technologies.

The drone was assigned to the Navy’s Task Force 59, which was established in 2021 as the Navy’s first uncrewed and artificial intelligence unit focused on maritime security in the Middle East, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal.

Immediately after Trump accused Iran of shooting down the plane, Araghchi said the strait was “thousands of kilometers away from the US coast.”

“Foreign powers close to our territory are constantly at risk due to their own human errors, simple accidents, or potentially being caught in the crossfire,” Araghchi wrote on social media. “The best solution to reduce the risk is for them to leave.”

Trump expressed renewed optimism about negotiations with Iran before accusing Iran of shooting down the US helicopter, but did not say there were reasons for optimism.

Mediators, mainly led by Pakistan, have been trying for weeks to reach an agreement that crosses the line. However, both Iran and the USA took harsh stances.

The United States wants Iran to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium believed to have been buried following American air strikes during the 12-day war in 2025. However, Iran rejects this and demands the easing of sanctions. He also wants frozen assets to be released before a final deal is made, something Trump has rejected.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah remains one of Iran’s top priorities. Lebanon’s army chief, Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday. There he met Pakistan’s army chief. Marshal Asim MünirHe is one of the key figures in the Iran-US talks.

Haykal’s visit comes as the Lebanese government has taken an increasingly harsh stance against Hezbollah but has failed to disarm the powerful militias. Hezbollah thanked Iran on Tuesday for attacking Israel “in defense of our Lebanese people”, suggesting that the Lebanese government should seize the opportunity to improve relations with Tehran.

This version corrects that the rescue of the two airmen, not the helicopter crash, occurred at 3:30 a.m.

Superville and Toropin reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in New York, Will Weissert in Washington, Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.