Photo courtesy of Anadolu
Crew members of a US Army Apache attack helicopter were rescued after the aircraft crashed near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, according to multiple reports.
The circumstances behind the crash were not immediately clear, with investigators still determining whether the helicopter went down because of hostile fire, mechanical failure, or another operational problem.
The New York Times, citing sources, reported that officials had yet to establish whether Iranian fire played any role in the incident.
US President Donald Trump said early Tuesday that the pilots were safe and unhurt, adding that his administration was expected to release a report on the incident.
The crash came after days of volatile developments in the region, where Israel and Iran had exchanged military strikes before stepping back under a fragile cease-fire.
Trump also said talks with Iran were continuing and suggested that both sides were nearing what he described as a strong agreement as he returned to Washington after attending an NBA Finals game in New York.
The US military had deployed Apache helicopters, MQ-9 Reaper drones, F/A-18 aircraft, and F-35 fighter jets as part of Central Command operations aimed at countering Iran’s restrictions on commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Since the conflict began on Feb. 28, Iran had reportedly shot down around 30 Reaper drones, while several US fighter jets had also been lost to hostile and friendly fire. The latest incident appeared to mark the first reported Apache loss in the conflict.
