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Donald Trump accuses Iran of shooting down US military helicopter and warns US will have to respond to incident...
An American AH-64 Apache helicopter has crashed in the Strait of Hormuz during a patrol mission, with various versions circulating about the incident that have raised questions about the causes of the event.
United States President Donald Trump said Iranian forces shot down a US helicopter while it was patrolling one of the world's most important maritime corridors.
"I have just been informed by our military that the Iranians shot down one of our Apache helicopters while patrolling the Strait of Hormuz. The two pilots are safe and unharmed. However, the United States must respond to this attack," Trump wrote on the Truth Social network.
However, new information published by Channel 12 journalist Barak Ravid and Axios, citing a US official, suggests that the helicopter may have been hit by an Iranian drone while in flight. According to this source, the collision with the unmanned aerial vehicle caused the Apache to crash.
Another source familiar with the incident said the drone involved may have been an Iranian "Shahed" type. It is not yet clear whether the collision was intentional or accidental.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the helicopter crashed near the coast of Oman during a routine patrol.
While a United States Navy surface drone located and rescued the two crew members.
US Central Command announced that the rescue operation was carried out by an unmanned naval vehicle from Task Force 59 of the US Fifth Fleet.
"A US Navy surface drone found and rescued the crew from the water. Task Force 59 is the US Navy's first operational unit dedicated to artificial intelligence and unmanned systems," said CENTCOM spokesman Captain Timothy Hawkins.
According to the US military, the two servicemen were rescued within approximately two hours of the crash and are in stable condition.
"The soldiers were safely evacuated and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident remains under investigation ," said the statement released by CENTCOM on the X platform.
Task Force 59, created in 2021, consists of unmanned naval and aerial vehicles and is considered one of the US Navy's most advanced projects for integrating artificial intelligence into military operations.
The incident marks the first loss of an Apache helicopter since the start of the current conflict between the US and Iran. The AH-64 Apache helicopters are used for precision strikes, close air support and reconnaissance missions, and in recent weeks have also been engaged against small Iranian naval vessels in the Persian Gulf.
US authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the incident. Until the official results are released, it remains unclear whether the helicopter was brought down as a result of a direct attack, an accidental collision with the drone, or other operational causes.
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