A U.S. Army Apache helicopter was shot down by Iran near the Strait of Hormuz on June 9, 2026, prompting Trump to declare the U.S. would respond — which it did that same evening with retaliatory strikes on Iranian assets. Iran then launched counter-strikes targeting Bahrain and Kuwait in an escalating cycle of military responses that marks a significant flare-up in the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict that began in February 2026. The incident and immediate U.S. retaliation are confirmed across AP, NBC, CNBC, Washington Post, and CBC reporting.