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US launches retaliatory strikes after Iranian drone downed Army helicopter near Iran
The U.S. conducted retaliatory strikes against Iran after an Army Apache helicopter collided with an Iranian drone, as President Trump remains optimistic about a potential agreement with Iran.
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WASHINGTON —
The U.S. military launched strikes against Iran on Tuesday night, less than a day after an Army AH-64 helicopter was downed by an Iranian drone, U.S. Central Command reported.
CENTCOM described the strikes as “self-defense,” adding, “the mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression. The strikes took place over a roughly four-hour period.
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Hearst Television contacted the White House asking what these strikes mean for the negotiations, but has not heard back.
Trump signaled that the retaliatory strikes do not mean the U.S. is restarting the war, but posted online on Wednesday morning, “They’ve [Iran] taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!”
The Army helicopter crashed into the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after colliding with an Iranian drone. Two American crew members were rescued and are reported to be stable. CENTCOM didn’t respond to Hearst Television’s request for clarity about any injuries. President Donald Trump told reporters early Tuesday that the soldiers were not injured.
Trump also told reporters a deal with Iran could be finalized within the next two to three days, expressing optimism about ongoing negotiations aimed at resolving months of conflict. That timeline would put a deal into place by Friday morning.
In a phone call with ABC News on Tuesday evening, the president reiterated his belief that a deal could still be secured.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to retaliatory strikes on social media, stating, “Our powerful armed forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered. Leave our region if you want to be safe.” Araghchi is one of Iran’s leading negotiators to end the war.
Another member of that team, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, added, “We prefer the language of diplomacy, but we speak other languages far more fluently. Break your commitments, and we’ll switch to what we speak best. You ride the horse you saddled!”
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