The United States military is firing back at Iran ... after President Trump said the Iranians shot down a U.S. military helicopter and vowed to retaliate. U.S. forces began launching "self-defense strikes" against Iran at 5 PM ET Tuesday ... according to an X post from U.S. Central Command. Central Command says the strikes are being launched at Trump's direction in response to his claim that Iran downed a U.S. Army Apache helicopter Monday as it flew over the Strait of Hormuz. Alan Jackson 's