US forces struck Iran after a US Army Apache helicopter went down near Iran, a dangerous escalation in an ongoing conflict that is bad for both sides and for anyone hoping the war stays cooled off.

• A US Apache helicopter crashed near Iran, but it's unclear if Iran shot it down, made a mistake, or if it was a mechanical failure.
• Trump first called the incident no big deal, then ordered strikes on Iran hours later, raising doubts about his real intentions.
• US ships are blockading Iran's ports, choking its economy — itself an act of war that helps explain any Iranian response.
• Iran denies targeting the helicopter and has shown restraint before, often warning the US ahead of past retaliations.
• Both crew members were rescued, the first time a drone boat pulled US soldiers from the water, a sign of how warfare is changing.

Outlook: The US is framing its strikes as a limited, proportional response, so a wider war may be avoided for now — but the situation is still developing.