The U.S. Central Command says the missiles were launched from the USS Michael Murphy. Video credit: U.S. Central Command

CENTCOM denies key waterway is shuttered * Trump asserts Iranians directly asked him to halt airstrikes, which he says Israel isn’t involved in; Tehran denies contacting him: ‘False claim to evade war

The US initiated self-defense strikes against Iran, a proportional response after an Iranian drone shot down a highly sophisticated US Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Two American pilots were safely rescued by a US Navy naval drone in a groundbreaking operation.

American military forces carried out strikes on Iranian targets after attempted Iranian drone and missile attacks, U.S. Central Command said​ Tuesday, in the latest clash.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction, in response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter. The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian…