US strikes Iran in response to helicopter shootdown

The US military announced fresh “self-defense” attacks on Iran after the downing of an Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz. DW has more.

https://p.dw.com/p/5F2vi

This handout photo released by US Central Command via their X account (@CENTCOM) on April 18, 2026 shows AH-64 Apaches flying above the Strait of Hormuz during a patrol on April 17, 2026.
A US Army Apache helicopter reportedly collided with an Iranian drone, prompting the US military to launch fresh attacks on Iran Image: US Central Command/AFP

Skip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

  • US Central Command announces strikes on Iran after downing of US Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz 
  • Donald Trump had earlier threatened an attack on Iran over the helicopter shootdown
  • Israeli airstrikes hit Tyre in southern Lebanon after the military ordered the entire city to evacuate
  • Donald Trump says a Middle East peace deal is in the ‘final throes’
  • The US president says the Strait of Hormuz will reopen immediately after a deal is sealed
  • A US Army Apache helicopter crashes near the Strait of Hormuz

Here are the rolling updates on the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Tuesday, June 9.

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Skip next section US strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems: report06/10/2026June 10, 2026

US strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems: report

The strikes carried out by the US army in Iran targeted several Iranian air defense systems and radar systems around the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported, citing a US official.

According to Fox News, the strikes are still ongoing.
 

https://p.dw.com/p/5F6cCSkip next section Explosions heard in multiple locations in Iran: local media06/09/2026June 9, 2026

Explosions heard in multiple locations in Iran: local media

Explosions were heard in several areas in Iran following strikes carried out by the US army, according to Iranian media reports.

According to the official Iranian agency Fars, the eastern part of the southwestern Hormozgan province is where the explosions were heard, including in Kuhestak, Sirik and Minab.

The semi-official Mehr agency also reported explosions in Bandar Abbas.
 

https://p.dw.com/p/5F6bxSkip next section US army carries out strikes in Iran in response to helicopter downing06/09/2026June 9, 2026

US army carries out strikes in Iran in response to helicopter downing

Wesley Dockery Editor

The US military carried out strikes in Iran in response to the downing of an American Apache helicopter, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. 

“The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression,” CENTCOM said on its official X account.

The strikes came at the direction of US President Donald Trump, according to the post.
 

https://p.dw.com/p/5F6arSkip next section Foreign forces at ‘constant risk’ of being caught in crossfire, says Iran’s FM06/09/2026June 9, 2026

Foreign forces at ‘constant risk’ of being caught in crossfire, says Iran’s FM

Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, said foreign forces should leave the Strait of Hormuz or run the risk of being caught in the crossfire.

“The Strait of Hormuz is NOT international waters but shared between Iran and Oman, and located thousands of miles away from US shores,” said Araghchi in a post on social media platform X.

“Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire,” Araghchi said.

“To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave,” Iran’s foreign minister added.

His comments come after US President Donald Trump accused Iran of shooting down an Apache gunship in the region.

Trump said that the US would respond to the attack.

https://p.dw.com/p/5F6URSkip next section Trump says Iran ‘shot down’ Apache gunship, says US must respond06/09/2026June 9, 2026

Trump says Iran ‘shot down’ Apache gunship, says US must respond

US President Donald Trump has accused Iran of shooting down an Apache attack helicopter as it patrolled over the Strait of Hormuz.

“I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump said the two pilots involved were “safe and uninjured” and went on to say that the US would respond.

“Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack,” Trump said.

The US military previously reported that the helicopter had been “lost at sea” without detailing what caused the gunship to crash.

https://p.dw.com/p/5F6DqSkip next section US helicopter crew rescued within around 2 hours06/09/2026June 9, 2026

US helicopter crew rescued within around 2 hours

The US Central Command, responsible for military operations in the Middle East region, said the Apache helicopter gunship crew that crashed were rescued within a couple of hours.

“The Soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation,” CENTCOM said in a statement. 

CENTCOM said the helicopter had “patrolling regional waters” when it went down near the coast of Oman.

https://p.dw.com/p/5F5pCSkip next section WATCH: Trump-Iran deal elusive more than 100 days into war06/09/2026June 9, 2026

WATCH: Trump-Iran deal elusive more than 100 days into war

One hundred days after launching military action against Iran, Donald Trump continues to signal optimism about a deal, but fighting and negotiations remain unresolved.

Public opinion in the US appears to be shifting, with frustration growing over inflation, rising prices, and the ongoing conflict.

Critics say economic realities outweigh political messaging. Even some Republicans have backed efforts to limit Trump’s powers, raising the stakes ahead of midterm elections.

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https://p.dw.com/p/5F5LeSkip next section IN DEPTH: Iranians struggle to buy food as war drives up prices06/09/2026June 9, 2026

IN DEPTH: Iranians struggle to buy food as war drives up prices

Daniel Ameri

Iran Teheran 2026 | Mann kauft Eier im Lebensmittelgeschäft
Some Iranians are being forced to cut their calorie intake as food costs soarImage: Vahid Salemi/AP Photo/picture alliance

Authorities in Iran are trying to alleviate pressure on consumers with food vouchers and raising the minimum wage. However, some residents of Tehran told DW they are finding it hard to make ends meet.  

Learn more about how Iranians are struggling to stay afloat amid the war in this report by DW’s Daniel Ameri.

https://p.dw.com/p/5F5SLSkip next section WATCH: Middle East fears Iran-Israel fighting could become new norm06/09/2026June 9, 2026

WATCH: Middle East fears Iran-Israel fighting could become new norm

Aaron Tilton

Israel and Iran have stepped back from the brink — for now. What was behind the latest flare-up? And what does it reveal about a pattern of escalation and restraint?

Middle East analyst Sina Azodi breaks it down for DW.

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https://p.dw.com/p/5F5KISkip next section Western nations condemn Israeli settler violence in West Bank06/09/2026June 9, 2026

Western nations condemn Israeli settler violence in West Bank

A Palestinian man Ahmad Dalal, 57, inspects scrap cars burnt in an attack by Israeli settlers, in Huwara in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 21, 2025
The UN says Israel is ‘primarily responsible’ for settler violence in the West BankImage: Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP/Getty Images

The United Kingdom, France, Australia, Canada and Norway said Tuesday that they have issued joint sanctions against “individuals and entities involved in financing and enabling” settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers from the five countries said the coordinated action would hold extremist Israeli settlers accountable for the deteriorating situation in the West Bank.

“These sanctions will disrupt the flows of finance that have allowed extremist settler groups to act with impunity in the West Bank and demonstrate the UK’s commitment to a two-state solution,” British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said.

Israeli military operations and Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied territory has risen sharply since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, the incident that triggered Israel’s war in Gaza.

The five countries also warned that they were prepared to take further action if the Israeli government failed to address the violence.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that France had also barred Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, along with four leaders of settler groups and 21 settlers, from entering the country.

“Bezalel Smotrich actively promotes the annexation of the West Bank, which he openly claims, the creation of new settlements in the West Bank, the recolonization of Gaza, the economic collapse of the Palestinian Authority, and its deleterious consequences on the Palestinian population: this is a policy that the overwhelming majority of the international community cannot accept, firmly committed to the two-State solution,” Barrot said.

In response, Israel’s foreign ministry said it “firmly rejects the disgraceful measures.” 

https://p.dw.com/p/5F4ooSkip next section Israeli airstrikes hit Tyre after evacuation warning06/09/2026June 9, 2026

Israeli airstrikes hit Tyre after evacuation warning

Vehicles exit Tyre in southern Lebanon on June 9, 2026, after the Israeli army warned the entire city to evacuate ahead of strikes.
Thousands of Tyre residents flee after Israel issued an evacuation order for the whole the cityImage: Kawnat Haju/AFP

Israeli bombs have struck the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, state media in Lebanon reported on Tuesday.

“Enemy warplanes launched a heavy strike on Tyre,” the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

At least eight people were killed and 32 were wounded, the Lebanese health ministry said, according to NNA.

The Israeli military has not commented on the reports.

The strikes came after the Israeli military had urged all of the city’s residents to evacuate.

Images from the city showed heavy traffic in Tyre as people fled north.

The Israeli strikes come after Iran on Monday warned Israel that it would attack again if it continued its offensive in Lebanon.

https://p.dw.com/p/5F4JISkip next section Iran’s World Cup ticket allocation revoked, FA says06/09/2026June 9, 2026

Iran’s World Cup ticket allocation revoked, FA says

Fans cheer before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers group A football match between Iran and Uzbekistan
It’s looking increasingly likely that Iranian fans won’t be able to follow their team at the World CupImage: AFP/Getty Images

The Iranian football association, FFI, has had its ticket allocation for the group stages of the World Cup revoked, the organization said.

According to a statement reported by Iranian news agency ISNA, the FFI said the United States had moved to bar Iranian fans from attending matches in Los Angeles and Seattle, and urged football’s world governing body, FIFA, to intervene.

Each competing nation’s federation receives 8% of the tickets for any World Cup match in which that nation is involved, according to FIFA’s tournament rules.

Since Donald Trump started his second term as president, the US has restricted entry to citizens from several countries, many of them Muslim-majority, including Iran.

The US launched a war against Iran in February, which has largely experienced a lull in fighting since an April ceasefire came into effect.

The Iranian football team has already moved its base from the US to Mexico, which is co-hosting the tournament along with Canada and the United States.

While Iranian players were granted visas to enter the US, several members of the Iranian delegation were not. 

https://p.dw.com/p/5F3x1Skip next section Palestinian civilians are ‘victims of all sides,’ UN commission says06/09/2026June 9, 2026

Palestinian civilians are ‘victims of all sides,’ UN commission says

Displaced Palestinians, including women and children, gather to receive hot meals distributed by a charity kitchen in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip
Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.1 million people have been displaced at least once since October 2023, the UN commission saysImage: Bashar Taleb/AFP

Palestinian civilians are “trapped” between the “mass atrocities” committed by Israel’s security forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank, and the “fear-based rule of Hamas” in Gaza, a UN commission of inquiry report released Tuesday has found.

Palestinians are “systematically and deliberately subjected to severe violations of human rights law by all parties to the region’s conflict,” the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, said in a statement releasing its report.

In its 2025 report, the commission concluded that actions by Israel during the war in Gaza met the legal threshold for genocide. The war began following attacks led by the Hamas group in Israeli territory on October 7, 2023.

Israel is “primarily responsible” for the actions of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which Palestinians view as their future capital, the UN commission said in a press release.

Israeli security forces stand guard along a road while behind smoke billows from an area reportedly set ablaze by Israeli settlers in the Palestinian village of Idna, west of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, on June 5, 2026
The UN commission found that Israel allows settlers to commit violence against Palestinians as part of its “state policy”Image: Hazem Bader/AFP

Violence in the West Bank has spiked since October 2023. Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 1,080 Palestinians, according to Palestinian Health Ministry data.

Israel says at least 46 Israeli soldiers and civilians have been killed by Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in that time.

“Violence by settlers is the direct outcome of Israeli policies that support, enable and protect their actions,” the statement said.

The UN accused Israel of allowing settler violence to function “as a means of implementing Israeli state policy” that seeks to entrench Israeli settlements in the West Bank, annex Palestinian territory and displace Palestinians from their land.

Israel accuses the UN commission of “systematic anti-Israel discrimination.”

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What did the report say about Palestinians civilians in Gaza?

In the Gaza Strip, the Islamist militant group Hamas and its affiliated forces are “responsible for acts committed by Palestinian militants” in the war-torn enclave.

Civilians in Gaza are being “violently repressed and controlled by the very faction that claims to govern them,” the statement said.

“Hamas-affiliated forces have exploited the vacuum created by relentless Israeli attacks and widespread destruction of Gaza,” said Srinivasan Muralidhar, the Commission’s chair. 

“What is alarmingly similar is the deliberate infliction of suffering on Palestinian civilians. While their origins and motivations differ, both operate within environments engineered by Israel,” Muralidhar added.

Over 72,000 Palestinians civilians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to Gaza health officials and the UN.

https://p.dw.com/p/5F3XVSkip next section Lebanon: Israeli army issues evacuation warning for Tyre06/09/2026June 9, 2026

Lebanon: Israeli army issues evacuation warning for Tyre

The Israeli military has called on residents of Lebanon’s Tyre and the areas surrounding the southern city to evacuate ahead of expected strikes. 

“Urgent warning to the residents of the city of Tyre, including the Christian quarter, and the camps and surrounding neighborhoods,” Avichay Adraee, the Israeli military’s Arabic-language spokesperson, wrote in a post on X Tuesday. 

“For your safety, we ask you to immediately evacuate your homes … and move north of the Zahrani River,” Adraee wrote.

An AFP correspondent reported that residents of Tyre were fleeing, including from the Christian quarter, where many displaced people have sought refuge.

“As we warned in the past days, following Hezbollah elements’ actions inside the Christian Quarter in the city, the Israel Defense Forces will be compelled to act against their terrorist activities in the quarter in the near term,” the message from Adraee said.

Until Tuesday, the Christian quarter in the Old City had not received evacuation warnings or suffered the Israeli airstrikes that have hit much of the Lebanese city.

https://p.dw.com/p/5F3MmSkip next section Middle East third-most-affected region by state-based conflict in 2025, report finds06/09/2026June 9, 2026

Middle East third-most-affected region by state-based conflict in 2025, report finds

There were more state conflicts in 2025 than there have been in any year since World War II, according to a new study published Tuesday. 

The annual “Conflict Trends” report from the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) found that 2025 was also the third-deadliest year for conflicts since the Cold War.

“We also saw an increase in the number of conflicts in the Middle East from, 10 in 2024 to 13 in 2025. This is the highest recorded number of conflicts in the region since 1946,” the report said. 

The AFP news agency quoted PRIO researcher Siri Aas Rustad as telling reporters that Israel was “clearly one of the most aggressive countries in the world at the moment” because of its involvement in conflicts in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and Iran, as well as against Houthi rebels in Yemen. 

You can read more about the report here.

https://p.dw.com/p/5F3KeShow more posts

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