“I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
U.S. Central Command said the AH-64 Apache went down on Monday evening near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters. It said two crew members were rescued by American forces within two hours and were reported to be in stable condition.
The incident adds to a growing series of military exchanges between the United States and Iran despite an April ceasefire. Trump has also continued to suggest that a deal to end the war with Iran could be signed within days.
The war has passed the 100-day mark, while Trump has said for weeks that an agreement is close. The president told the New York Post last week that he would end the ceasefire if Tehran killed any American troops.
Iran’s speaker of Parliament, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, posted a warning on X after the incident. “We prefer the language of diplomacy, but we speak other languages far more fluently. Break your commitments, and we’ll switch to what we speak best. You ride the horse you saddled!” he wrote.
Experts cited in the article said the situation points to Trump’s reluctance to return to open warfare with Iran. They said the president remains focused on reaching an agreement with Tehran.
The first objective of such a deal would be to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran effectively closed the waterway in response to U.S. and Israeli attacks at the end of February, sending oil prices higher.
The United States and Iran would then commit to negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran wants to retain the right to enrich uranium for what it says are peaceful purposes, while the Trump administration and Israel fear that could provide a path to developing a nuclear weapon.
