The US has launched strikes on Iran after President Donald Trump accused the country of shooting down a US helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
American forces began strikes at 17:00 EST (22:00 BST) on Tuesday in response to the helicopter downing, US Central Command (Centcom) said.
“The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression,” Centcom said in a statement.
The two crew members of the downed US Apache helicopter were rescued by an American sea drone, Centcom said earlier.
“There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured,” Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier today. “Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”
Iranian state television says some are reporting explosions and air defence activity along the coast of the Persian Gulf, including in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm and Sirik.
The strikes reportedly hit several Iranian defence and radar systems, according to US oulet Axios, citing a US official.
President Donald Trump told ABC News earlier that retaliatory strikes on Iran would be “very strong, very powerful” after the country downed a US helicopter last night.
During the phone interview, Trump reportedly said it was “important” for the US to respond to the helicopter downing.
“We are responding as we speak,” he is quoted as saying.
The president added: “This is a response to what they did, 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.”
US House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he was with President Donald Trump and other top officials when the strikes on Iran were agreed.
Speaking to the press on Capitol Hill, he called the strikes “proportional and limited” against “unjustified Iranian aggression”.
“We lament that it became necessary,” he said, adding that “we’re gonna have to take care of this business”.
Johnson said the president, vice-president, secretary of state, and defence secretary were all present in the Situation Room this morning when the strikes were decided on.
Source: bbc.com