Donald Trump’s military has launched retaliatory strikes after the US president accused Iran of shooting down an American helicopter.
Trump warned earlier Tuesday that the US “must, of necessity, respond” to the downing of an Apache helicopter that was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz overnight.
Two American service personnel were rescued from the vital waterway in a stable condition after the $40 million gunship went down, the military said.
US Central Command announced the “self-defense strikes” against Iran Tuesday evening, Washington time.
“The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression”, the military said.
Iranian state media reported explosions and air defense sirens heard along Iran's Persian Gulf coast, per The New York Times.
Trump said earlier Tuesday that the two pilots involved in the helicopter attack “both are safe and uninjured.” And he later tried to downplay the incident.
He said in a phone interview with The Wall Street Journal that it “wasn't a big deal” and stressed that “the pilot is fine”.
The US and Iran are still nominally held to the April 8 ceasefire agreement while working to find an end to the conflict, now in its fourth month.
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Explosions heard along Iran's Persian Gulf coast: Iranian state media
Iranian state media have reported explosions heard along Iran's Persian Gulf coast, per The New York Times.
The blasts and air defense sirens were reportedly heard in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm and Sirak.
US launches retaliatory strikes against Iran after helicopter downing
US Central Command has announced that it began launching “self-defense strikes” against Iran Tuesday evening, Washington time, in response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter”.
“The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression”, the military said.
Trump to massively expand US intelligence sharing with Israel
The US is driving ahead with legislation that massively expands defence and intelligence sharing with Israel and eclipses the English-speaking Five Eyes espionage alliance.
It also legally ties America to a nation accused of crimes against humanity.
A mandatory expansion of the already close ties with Israel will give men like Benjamin Netanyahu, indicted for alleged crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, access to the most sensitive secrets held by the US intelligence community. It is being passed through the Congress with bipartisan backing.
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Britain has spent almost £1m of taxpayers’ cash holding stalker at centre of Iran prisoner swap plea
Britain has spent almost £1m of taxpayers’ cash holding an Iranian stalker at the centre of a prisoner swap debate for almost 16 years longer than his original minimum term, The Independent can reveal.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman have called for Britain to deport Richard Jan, who was once described as Britain’s worst stalker, because they believe he could be the key to their release from an Iranian jail.
Jan, 59, was first eligible for deportation to Iran after his seven-and-a-half-year minimum tariff expired in August 2010. Despite multiple requests from Iranian officials for his return to the country, Britain has so far refused to remove him.
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Iran tells foreign forces in the area to leave
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said foreign forces in proximity to Iranian territory were at "constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents or potentially being caught in crossfire," asking them to leave.
"To reduce risk, best solution is for them (foreign forces) to leave," he said in a post on X.
His statements come after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was responsible for the downing of a U.S. apache helicopter that was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz overnight which he said Washington must respond to.
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Craig and Lindsay Foreman have accused the government of failing to act on clear signals from Iranian officials that Richard Jan, who was once described as Britain’s worst stalker, is the key to their release.
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Trump says US 'must respond' to helicopter downing
Donald Trump says the US “must, of necessity, respond” to the Iranian downing of an American helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
“I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” he writes on Truth Social.
“There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Christian leaders in Tyre urge for action after Israel's evacuation warning
Christian religious leaders from Lebanon’s southern port city of Tyre called on the international community and Lebanese officials on Tuesday to act quickly to prevent Israel from attacking the Christian district of the city, as airstrikes on nearby neighborhoods killed eight people and wounded dozens of others.
The Israeli military has issued an evacuation warning for the port city, including the Christian quarter, which has been spared so far.
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