U.S.-Iran Fighting Intensifies as Diplomats Urge Restraint
Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated sharply after President Donald Trump threatened additional strikes, saying U.S. forces had hit Iran “hard” and would do so again. Trump said he still wanted a “meaningful” deal with Tehran but accused Iran of delaying negotiations.
The latest confrontation followed the downing of a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said Iran shot it down, while Tehran rejected the claim as a “false pretext” for U.S. action. Two crew members were rescued unharmed by a sea drone mission.
U.S. Central Command said American forces carried out “self-defense strikes” targeting Iranian air defense, radar, and ground control sites near the strait. Iran responded with drone and missile attacks aimed at U.S. positions in Bahrain and Jordan, according to Iranian state media. Jordan said it intercepted five missiles, while Kuwait reported hostile aerial targets entering its airspace.
CENTCOM also said U.S. forces fired on an oil tanker allegedly attempting to carry Iranian oil in violation of a U.S. blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz.
Regional governments urged civilians to follow safety instructions, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that further U.S. responses would trigger wider attacks.
World leaders called for de-escalation. China, Russia, the European Union, Pakistan, and others urged diplomacy. Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt condemned Iran’s strikes, describing them as violations of regional sovereignty and threats to stability.
The renewed fighting has cast doubt on stalled U.S.-Iran peace talks. Pakistan, which has helped mediate negotiations, warned at the U.N. Security Council that the violence showed the risks of a fragile cease-fire. Previous talks in Islamabad, led on the U.S. side by Vice President J.D. Vance, ended without agreement.