US strikes Iran in response to downing of helicopter, military says

The US today carried out what they describe as retaliatory strikes on Iranian defence systems after an American helicopter was downed over the Strait of Hormuz.

Firas Maksad, managing director of the Middle East and North Africa, Eurasia Group, told the BBC earlier that today’s events represent a tit-for-tat between the US and Iran – and likely not a backsliding into all-out war.

“I don’t think that there is an immediate risk of this war really starting up again,” he said, describing US actions today as “carefully choreographed”.

“[The US] struck radar targets. Military facilities along the Iranian coastline, around the Strait of Hormuz, nothing beyond that,” Maksad said. “This is a managed conflict. Both sides don’t want to see the return to all-out hostilities as we had last month.”

Maksad said the sentiment among Iranian leaders is that Trump doesn’t have many appealing military options on the table. Trump, on the other hand, has been insisting to the American people that a deal is only days away.

“What’s clear is that President Trump is not in a hurry as he pursues this strategy of economic strangulation, letting the blockade set in,” he said. “The Iranians are playing the long game as they always do, hoping to test American patience and that the Americans will make concessions along the way.”

We’re going to end our live coverage now, but you can find more details of today’s events in the Gulf here: US striking Iran in response to downing of helicopter, military says