Washington, Jun 10 (UNI) The US military struck 20 targets in Iran in what Washington described as "retaliatory strikes" following the downing of an American Army Apache helicopter earlier this week.
The targets struck included Iranian air defence systems, radar installations and drone ground-control stations, according to a statement released by CENTCOM.
"The operation was a proportional response to recent attacks on US forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters," the central command said.
The latest escalation unfolded following the Islamic Republic's drone attacks early Wednesday against US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain.
As per reports by Iran's state-run IRIB News Agency, the Islamic Republic's naval forces targeted the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain as well as the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
Kuwaiti military authorities later said air defence systems were actively intercepting what they described as hostile aerial targets.
So far, however, there has been no immediate confirmation that any of the drones had reached their intended targets.
The confrontation marks one of the most serious military exchanges between the two nations, ever since the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran came into effect in April, worsening the already fragile truce.
According to CBS News sources, the Apache helicopter was struck by an armed Iranian-made Shahed drone while conducting a patrol mission over waters off the coast of Oman on Monday.
CENTCOM further declared that the aircraft went down in the sea following the attack, with both its pilots successfully safely rescued in approximately just two hours.
Shahed drones have become one of Iranian military's primary assault weapons, and have been used extensively in Tehran's operations against US and Israel, ever since their war against Iran intensified. Additionally, Iran has supplied these drones to Russia which its military has heavily used in Ukraine.
UNI ANV CDS