'Yeah, we are' – Trump confirms renewed bombing of Iran
Key Takeaways
- Trump confirmed renewed US bombing operations against Iran, saying, "Yeah, well, we are."
- The US linked the strikes to the reported downing of an Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran responded with retaliatory strikes and warned it would reassess its position on negotiations.
US president links fresh strikes to Apache helicopter incident as tensions with Tehran escalate again
US President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that American forces had resumed bombing operations against Iran, citing the recent helicopter incident in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump was asked directly whether the United States was restarting military strikes.
"You're resuming bombing?" a reporter asked.
"Yeah, well, we are. Based on the helicopter, I guess we have the right to do that. You know, they shot down a very, very incredible, actually an incredible machine," Trump replied.
His comments came after the United States carried out fresh airstrikes on Iranian targets overnight.
Earlier in the day, Trump defended the military action in a social media post, accusing Tehran of delaying negotiations.
Iran had "taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!" Trump wrote.
The latest strikes followed an incident near the Strait of Hormuz involving a US Apache helicopter. Washington said the aircraft was brought down after colliding with an Iranian drone, while Trump stated that Iran had "shot down" the helicopter.
According to US military officials, the strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, ground-control stations and surveillance radar sites. The Pentagon described the operation as a response to the helicopter incident and what it called recent attacks on US personnel and commercial vessels in the region.
Tehran condemned the strikes and signalled that its position on negotiations could change.
Iran said it would "need to assess the situation" following the attacks.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later announced retaliatory strikes against several US air and naval facilities across the Middle East, describing them as a response to American aggression.
The exchange marked another escalation in a conflict that has intensified since the US-Israeli military operation against Iran earlier this year, with both sides trading strikes and threats despite repeated calls for de-escalation.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
