US begins strikes on Iran after helicopter downing

U.S. forces began launching strikes against Iran on Tuesday afternoon after the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter on Monday, the U.S. Central Command said, reported Xinhua.

The strikes began at 5 p.m. Eastern Time at U.S. President Donald Trump's direction, the command wrote on X.

A number of explosions were heard and air defense systems were activated in the port city of Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island and Sirik County in southern Iran on early Wednesday, state-run IRIB TV reported, citing local sources.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that six explosions were heard in Sirik, Qeshm Island and the southern city of Minab, adding that areas in the three regions were attacked by U.S. fighter jets.

Meanwhile, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said on Tuesday that his country's strikes against Iran on Monday were "preparation for a much more significant and forceful blow."

"We are prepared to strike Iran again with another severe and far-reaching blow," Zamir said during a drill in northern Israel, without elaborating.

Israel launched airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday, killing at least two people and wounding some 20 others, according to Lebanese sources.

The strikes triggered a series of mutual attacks between Iran and Israel from Sunday night into Monday, marking the most serious escalation since a ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel in April.

Later on Monday, Iran and Israel signaled a halt to their attacks against each other. Still, Israel has warned that it would strike Beirut in response to any attack on northern Israel and continue attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon, whereas Iran has cautioned that any further Israeli attack on Iran or Lebanon would trigger a much more "severe and crushing" response from Tehran.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Iranian army said two members of its air defense force were killed in the Monday Israeli strikes while defending Iran's airspace.