US launches retaliatory strikes on Iran, military sayspublished at 23:10 BST
23:10 BST
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.”