U.S. forces launched strikes against Iran on Tuesday after the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter a day earlier, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The U.S. strikes were "very strong, very powerful," U.S. President Donald Trump told ABC News after the operation began.

The strikes started at 5 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time (2100 GMT) at the president's direction, CENTCOM wrote on X.

Following the U.S. announcement, Iranian media reported that several explosions were heard early Wednesday and air defense were activated in the port city of Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Sirik County and Jask County in southern Iran.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that six explosions were heard in Sirik, Qeshm Island and the southern city of Minab, adding that areas in the three regions were attacked by U.S. fighter jets.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump accused Iran of shooting down a U.S. Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz and vowed to respond.

"I have just been informed ... that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache helicopters while (it was) patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz," he said in a post on Truth Social.

Two pilots onboard the aircraft "are safe and uninjured," Trump said, adding "Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack."

The U.S. strikes came as Israel renewed attacks in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, following days of tit-for-tat strikes between Israel and Iran and adding to already heightened tensions across the region.