US President Donald Trump has said the United States will “have to respond” after reports that an American Army Apache helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz during a patrol mission. However, the US military has not confirmed that the aircraft was brought down by hostile fire or directly linked Iran to the incident.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was informed by the military that Iranian forces had shot down a “highly sophisticated Apache Helicopter” operating in the strategically important waterway. He added that both pilots survived the incident and were not injured. “There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack,” Trump wrote.
Did Iran shoot down US Apache helicopter?
Despite Trump’s claim, US Central Command gave a more cautious account. It confirmed that an AH-64 Apache helicopter went down near the coast of Oman around 3 am local time on Tuesday while carrying out a patrol mission in regional waters. Officials did not confirm any cause of the crash and said an investigation is ongoing. So far, there is no independent confirmation that Iran fired on the aircraft.
What happened during the rescue operation?
Central Command said the two soldiers on board were rescued within about two hours and are now in stable condition. In a notable development, the rescue operation involved an unmanned surface vessel for the first time.
A US Navy Corsair autonomous drone located the crew in the water and helped recover them before they were transferred and lifted onto a helicopter. Officials said the drone was used because of its location and operational capability.
Will the US respond?
Trump’s statement suggested a possible response, but US military officials have not confirmed any attack or identified a responsible party. Apache helicopters are often used for patrol, reconnaissance, and maritime security operations in the region, including monitoring fast boat activity near Iranian waters. The Strait of Hormuz remains a highly sensitive maritime route for global oil shipments.
First published on: Jun 09, 2026 11:15 PM IST
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