The United States launched retaliatory strikes against Iranian military installations near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday after an American Apache attack helicopter was shot down while conducting a patrol mission in the strategic waterway, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

CENTCOM said the operation targeted Iranian air defence systems, ground control stations, and surveillance radar facilities, describing the action as a series of "self-defence strikes" carried out in response to the helicopter incident.

The U.S. Army helicopter was brought down on Monday while patrolling waters near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical shipping routes. Both crew members were successfully rescued by a U.S. unmanned maritime system, officials said.

As CENTCOM announced the strikes, President Donald Trump defended the military response in remarks to ABC News.

"I think it's very important to respond. They shot down a helicopter, and we are responding as we speak," Trump said.

Earlier, the president told The Wall Street Journal that the incident "wasn't a big deal," while noting that the helicopter's pilot had survived.

Iran swiftly condemned the U.S. operation, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi vowing retaliation.

"Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the U.S. opted to test our determination. Our powerful armed forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered," Araghchi said in a statement.

Although he did not directly address the downing of the American helicopter, Araghchi warned that foreign forces operating in the region should leave if they wished to remain safe.

Shortly after the U.S. strikes, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced attacks targeting the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and a military airbase in Jordan. Kuwaiti authorities also reported coming under Iranian attack, though details remained limited.

The latest escalation comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East. Prior to the U.S. strikes, Iran and Israel had exchanged missile attacks in what was widely regarded as the most serious violation of a ceasefire brokered in April.

Although both sides later agreed to halt hostilities following calls from Trump for an immediate ceasefire, each has warned that military operations could resume if further attacks occur.

With repeated exchanges of fire threatening the fragile truce, regional observers fear the situation could rapidly deteriorate into a broader conflict involving multiple countries across the Middle East.

This version follows a more conventional international news agency style, with a stronger lead, clearer structure, and balanced attribution of claims.