CENTCOM: U.S. launches military strikes on Iran in response to downing of helicopter

June 9, 2026 Sophia Flores ABC News, American helicopter, centcom, CENTCOM statement, Donald Trump, downing of helicopter, helicopter attack, Iran conflict, Iran strikes, military response, OAN Newsroom, powerful response, retaliation, self-defense strikes, social media statement, sophia flores, Trump comments, Trump orders, Tuesday statement, U.S. Central Command, U.S. military, U.S. pilots, US 0


TOPSHOT - An Israeli Air Force AH-64 Apache attack helicopter fires rockets while flying along the border between northern Israel and southern Lebanon on March 18, 2026. The Israeli military said it planned to strike bridges and crossings over the Litani River in southern Lebanon on March 18 to disrupt what it said were Hezbollah arms-smuggling routes. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when militant group Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP via Getty Images) /
An AH-64 Apache attack helicopter on March 18, 2026. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP via Getty Images) /

OAN Staff Sophia Flores 
3:04 PM – Tuesday, July 9, 2026

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that the U.S. military has launched “self-defense strikes against Iran” in retaliation for the downing of an American helicopter and the deaths of two of its pilots, on the orders of President Donald Trump.

On Tuesday, CENTCOM released a statement on social media confirming the strikes.

“This is a response to what they did…with our helicopter last night, and I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that’s what this one is,” Trump told ABC News.

 

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