Trump says Iran shot down Apache helicopter over Strait of Hormuz and US 'must' respond

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran shot down a U.S. Army Apache helicopter while it was patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz, and that the United States "must" respond. Both crew members were rescued safely within approximately two hours and are in stable condition, U.S. Central Command said.

What happened to the U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz?

The Apache went down near the coast of Oman during a patrol mission. Two crew members were rescued by American forces, with a naval surface drone assisting in the operation. U.S. Central Command confirmed both soldiers were in stable condition after the rescue.

Trump said he had been informed "that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz." While the crew survived, he said the United States "must, of necessity, respond to this attack." The statement was posted on Truth Social.

Is this the first U.S. aircraft Iran has shot down in the Middle East war?

The Apache is the second crewed U.S. aircraft confirmed shot down by Iran during the ongoing Middle East war. The first was an F-15 fighter plane, lost in April. The Apache is an attack helicopter with a crew of two, armed with a 30mm chain gun and capable of carrying weapons including Hellfire missiles.

What does the helicopter downing mean for the U.S.-Iran ceasefire?

The incident poses a fresh threat to a ceasefire that has been in place since April 8, as the United States and Iran continue to negotiate an end to the war. The ceasefire has already faced a series of challenges. A U.S. military response, as vowed by Trump, risks further destabilizing the fragile arrangement.