Trump Says Crew Members Were Rescued Safely
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iran had shot down a US Apache helicopter while it was patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz overnight.
Trump made the claim in a social media post, saying he had been informed by the US military about the incident. He said the helicopter was highly sophisticated and was operating over one of the world’s most sensitive energy routes.
According to Trump, the two US pilots involved in the incident were safe and uninjured. He added that the United States would respond to the attack.
Earlier, Trump had said the two crew members were “fine” after being rescued by a US Navy drone. At that time, he did not say what had caused the helicopter to go down.
The US military told Reuters that a Navy surface drone found and rescued the two crew members. US Central Command said the AH-64 Apache went down at around 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
Incident Threatens Fragile Gulf Truce
Trump’s remarks have added new uncertainty to efforts to maintain a fragile truce in the Gulf.
On Monday, Israel and Iran said they would halt attacks after Trump appealed for an end to their direct exchanges of fire. However, Tehran warned that it could resume hostilities if Israel continued attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The latest helicopter incident now risks raising tensions again at a sensitive moment.
Trump has been trying to push for a broader peace deal in the region. He told reporters that he may have an idea for an Iran deal within a few days, but he did not provide details.
US and Israeli officials said Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke on Monday. In an interview, Trump said he had warned Netanyahu against returning to war with Iran.
Lebanon Strikes Add Pressure to Peace Efforts
At the same time, fighting in Lebanon continues to complicate diplomatic efforts.
Israel struck the historic port city of Tyre in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least eight people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
Israel had issued an evacuation order earlier in the day. State media reported that residents fled while civil defence teams moved elderly people into temporary shelters.
The strike was the deadliest on Tyre since fighting expanded in Lebanon earlier this year.
Iran has said any peace deal with Washington depends partly on ending the fighting in Lebanon. Israel, however, has continued its campaign there and says the Lebanon conflict should be treated separately from the US-Iran ceasefire track.
Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz remains central to the crisis. The waterway carried a major share of global oil and liquefied natural gas before the conflict.
Iran has continued to restrict most shipping through the strait, while Washington has imposed its own blockade around Iranian ports.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said ship traffic through Hormuz was rising, but added that normal energy flows could take months to return after the war ends.
The downing claim, continued fighting in Lebanon and pressure on global energy routes now threaten to weaken Trump’s push for a wider regional settlement.
