Trump wrote he was informed that "last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters ... the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack."
"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. There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack." - President Donald J. Trump."
The US military later confirmed that an Army AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed around 3:30 am local time on Tuesday off the coast of Oman while conducting a patrol mission. US Central Command said the two crew members were rescued within two hours and were reported to be in stable condition.
What caused the aircraft to go down remained unclear as of Tuesday. The New York Times first reported the crash, while the Associated Press reported that the helicopter was operating near the strategic waterway that Iran has effectively closed during the ongoing conflict. Speaking with reporters at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York after attending an NBA Finals game Monday night, Trump confirmed that the crew survived the incident.
"The pilots are fine. Yeah," Trump said. "Nobody injured. We are going to issue a report tomorrow. But the pilots are fine." Apache helicopters have played a significant role in US operations aimed at enforcing restrictions on Iranian oil shipments. The aircraft have also been used by regional allies, including the United Arab Emirates, during military operations involving Iranian drones.
The crash comes as diplomatic efforts continue between Washington and Tehran. Trump expressed optimism that negotiators could reach an agreement in the coming days.
"We have a good chance" of signing a deal in "two or three days," Trump said.
Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported that two members of an air defense unit, identified as Bahman Hosseini and Ali Reza Abiri, were killed in recent Israeli strikes. It marked the first public acknowledgement by Iranian authorities of fatalities linked to the latest round of attacks.
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