Summary US President Donald Trump accused Iran of shooting down a US Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, while the US military said the aircraft crashed off Oman and the cause remains under probe
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iran had shot down a US Army Apache helicopter patrolling the Strait of Hormuz overnight, warning that the United States would respond to the incident.
In a post on social media, Trump said he had been informed by the US military that Iranian forces had brought down one of the country's “highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters” during a patrol mission over the strategic waterway.
“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 wrote, without providing further details.
However, the US military has so far stopped short of attributing the incident to hostile action. US Central Command said an AH-64 Apache helicopter went down at approximately 3 a.m. local time on Tuesday near the coast of Oman while conducting a patrol mission in regional waters.
The military did not disclose the cause of the crash, saying the incident remains under investigation.
The episode comes amid continued tensions between the United States and Iran despite an uneasy ceasefire. The two sides have experienced periodic confrontations, while Iranian drone and missile attacks have targeted US regional allies in recent months.
In a development described by the military as a first-of-its-kind rescue operation, a US Navy autonomous surface drone located and recovered the helicopter's two crew members after the aircraft entered the water.
According to Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for Central Command, the unmanned vessel transported the soldiers to another location at sea, where they were subsequently hoisted aboard a helicopter for further transport.
The rescue craft was identified as a Corsair autonomous surface vessel operated by the US Navy. Manufacturer Saronic describes the 24-foot vessel as capable of carrying up to 1,000 pounds of payload across distances exceeding 1,000 nautical miles.
Hawkins said the drone was selected because of its proximity to the incident and its operational capabilities.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 9, 2026
The operation highlighted the growing role of unmanned systems within the US Navy's 5th Fleet and Task Force 59, a unit established to integrate autonomous technologies and artificial intelligence into routine maritime missions.
Speaking to reporters on the runway at John F. Kennedy International Airport before returning to Washington, Trump said the pilots were “fine” and that “nobody injured” had resulted from the incident.
Central Command offered a more measured assessment, stating that the two soldiers were rescued within roughly two hours and remained in stable condition. “The soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation,” the command said in a statement.
