U.S. Helicopter Shot Down by Iran; Trump Promises Response

<p>President Donald Trump announced on June 9, 2026, that the United States will respond after Iran shot down an American Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Trump stated on Truth Social, "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." </p><p>U.S. Central Command confirmed that an AH-64 Apache helicopter went down near the coast of Oman on June 8. According to CENTCOM, "At 7:33 p.m. ET on June 8, two crew members from a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache were rescued by American forces after their helicopter went down near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters." Both soldiers were rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation.</p><p>The rescue operation marked a historic first for the U.S. military, utilizing an unmanned surface vessel operated by Task Force 59 to locate and rescue the helicopter crew. The drone boat transported the soldiers to another location at sea, where they were later hoisted aboard a helicopter for evacuation. CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins stated that this was the first time an unmanned surface vessel had been used in a real-world water rescue operation.</p><p>Rescue efforts were led by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, with support from Air Force and Navy assets, including Task Force 59 and units assigned to the U.S. Fifth Fleet. This incident occurs amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, following a missile strike by Iran on Israel and subsequent retaliatory actions.</p><p>Trump has expressed optimism regarding potential negotiations, stating that progress is being made towards a broader agreement.</p>