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US Launches 'Proportionate' Strikes on Iran After Apache Helicopter Downed; Trump Calls Response 'Dynamic'
🇬🇷 Greece /Conflict & Security

US Launches 'Proportionate' Strikes on Iran After Apache Helicopter Downed; Trump Calls Response 'Dynamic'

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • U.S. forces launched "proportionate" strikes against Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter.
  • The strikes were ordered by President Donald Trump as self-defense against what CENTCOM called "unjustified Iranian aggression."
  • Iran's state media warned of a "decisive response" if the U.S. uses the incident as a pretext for further attacks.

The United States military has initiated "proportionate" strikes against Iran, retaliating for the downing of a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter the previous day. U.S. forces "began conducting strikes in lawful defense against Iran at 5:00 p.m. (local time; 00:00 Greece time) at the direction of their supreme commander (President Donald Trump), in response to yesterday's downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter," stated the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for the Middle East, via X.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction, in response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter.

— U.S. Central CommandOfficial statement from CENTCOM announcing the U.S. military strikes against Iran.

CENTCOM added that the mission constitutes a "proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression." The U.S. forces commenced "self-defense strikes" against Iran around midnight Tuesday (Greece time), following President Donald Trump's orders. The announcement specified that these operations were a reaction to the U.S. Army Apache helicopter being hit the day before. The U.S. side characterized the operation as a "proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression."

Iranian state media, citing military sources, issued a warning of a "decisive response" should the U.S. use the incident as a pretext for an attack. President Trump described the U.S. retaliatory strikes against Iran as "very strong" and "very dynamic" following the Apache helicopter's downing. He told an ABC News reporter that the response "had to be very strong, very dynamic, and that is exactly what this operation is."

The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.

— U.S. Central CommandCENTCOM's justification for the military action against Iran.

According to the New York Times, citing an unnamed U.S. official, the Apache helicopter downed in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday (08/09) was hit by an Iranian drone, confirming earlier reports by Axios. A few hours later, a U.S. Navy drone boat located and rescued the two pilots in the sea area near the coast of Oman, according to information from U.S. Central Command.

I think the response had to be very strong, very dynamic, and that is exactly what this operation is.

— Donald TrumpPresident Trump's assessment of the U.S. retaliatory strikes.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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