A new escalation is being recorded in US–Iran relations, as Donald Trump approved American strikes against Iranian targets just hours after attempting to downplay the downing of a US Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that “it was nothing serious” and that the pilots were safe.
After new information emerged suggesting the helicopter was hit by an Iranian drone, the US president directly accused Tehran and said the United States “must respond”, with CENTCOM shortly afterwards announcing the launch of “self-defence strikes” against Iran.
According to reports, the US struck Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz, while explosions have also been reported in Bahrain.
The latest developments deepen uncertainty over the prospects of maintaining the ceasefire in the Gulf war, which had been announced on 8 April. Trump’s new rhetoric marks a significant shift from his earlier statements just hours before, when he had suggested that US diplomacy was “in the final stages of a very, very good deal” to end hostilities within the next “two or three days.”
