US Central Command said overnight Tuesday into Wednesday that its forces had "began launching self-defense strikes against Iran" on President Donald Trump's orders, in response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter the previous day.
In a statement posted by the command on X, CENTCOM said the strikes began at midnight Israel time, and that "the mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression."
At the same time, reports began emerging from Iran of explosions heard in the south of the country. The Mehr News Agency reported that residents of Sirik Port in Hormozgan Province, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) southeast of Bandar Abbas at the exit from the Strait of Hormuz, heard explosions in the area. Iranian media later reported "air defense activity in southern Iran."
ABC News journalist Jonathan Karl reported that he had spoken with Trump by phone immediately after the US military's announcement.
"I think it's very important to respond. They shot down a helicopter, and we are responding as we speak," the president told him, adding: "This is a response to what 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."
