The US military struck Iranian military infrastructure on June 9, 2026, after Tehran shot down an American AH-64 Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. The retaliatory strikes, ordered by President Donald Trump, targeted air defense systems and surveillance radars in southern Iran, near Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island.
US Central Command classified the operation as a “proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.” Oil prices surged immediately on fears that the world’s most critical oil transit chokepoint could see further disruption.
What happened
The sequence started on or around June 8, when Iranian forces downed a US Army Apache helicopter operating near the Strait of Hormuz. Both crew members were rescued safely, according to CENTCOM.
The US response came roughly a day later. Strikes began at 5 p.m. ET on June 9, targeting what CENTCOM described as critical military infrastructure in southern Iran. The specific targets included air defense installations and surveillance radar systems positioned near Bandar Abbas, a major Iranian naval port, and Qeshm Island, which sits at the mouth of the strait.
