US military attacks targets in Iran

The attacks were carried out on the orders of President Donald Trump, explained the US military's regional command responsible for the Middle East (Centcom) on Platform X.

"The mission is a proportionate response to unjustified Iranian aggression," the US military justified its actions with reference to the shooting down of the helicopter off the coast of Oman. The attacks, which the military characterized as "self-defense", had begun at 11 p.m. German time.

Centcom did not initially provide any further details on the scope or specific targets. Iranian media reported explosions in the city of Sirik on the Strait of Hormuz and on the island of Qezhm, among other places. There were also reports of strikes in the area of the major city of Bandar Abbas.

Trump speaks of very powerful retaliatory strike

Trump told ABC News in a telephone interview that the response to the launch would have to be "very strong, very powerful" - "and that's exactly what it is." He also said - probably with a view to the tough negotiations with Tehran in the struggle to end the war - that there was a "very good agreement". This will probably endure. The President did not provide any further details. Trump had recently repeatedly spread optimism that an agreement with Iran to end the war was within reach.

Officially, a ceasefire has been in place in the Iran war for two months, but recently this seemed to be becoming more fragile by the day: The conflict had already escalated dangerously on Sunday with Iranian missile attacks on Israel. During the night, the Iranian armed forces fired ballistic missiles at an airbase in northern Israel, among others. The Israeli air force responded with attacks on targets in Iran on Monday. Trump called on both states to agree to an "immediate" ceasefire. Both Iran and Israel then declared that they would cease their respective attacks. However, the situation remained tense.

According to Tehran, Iran had launched its attacks because of the Israeli attacks against the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. However, Israel's government has left little doubt that it will continue to take action against the Shiite militia in its northern neighbor.

No agreement to end the war in sight

On Tuesday, Trump announced retaliatory strikes against Iran over the shooting down of the Apache attack helicopter. The USA would "inevitably" have to respond to this Iranian attack, he explained on his Truth Social platform. The two crew members of the downed helicopter were unharmed and safe, he said.

Trump had promised a quick victory at the beginning of the Iran war at the end of February, but efforts to bring about a lasting end to the war have been stalled for weeks.