Trump’s self-defense strikes falter upon start as Iran claims MQ-9 kill, launches missile response

Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated dramatically after President Donald Trump ordered so-called "self-defense" strikes against Iranian military targets following the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), American fighter jets struck Iranian air-defense systems, radar installations, and control facilities in what Washington described as a proportional response to Iranian aggression. However, Tehran has pushed back forcefully. Iranian military officials claimed they shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone and launched retaliatory missile attacks against American military facilities in the region. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that any further U.S. action would be met with even more severe strikes. The latest confrontation comes at a critical moment, with U.S.-Iran negotiations reportedly still underway despite weeks of military exchanges and rising tensions across the Gulf. The Apache incident marks one of the most serious direct confrontations between Washington and Tehran in recent months, raising fears that the fragile ceasefire could collapse entirely.

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