A US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, June 8, with both crew members safely rescued, President Donald Trump confirmed.
President Confirms No Injuries
Speaking to journalists after watching the NBA Finals on Monday night, Trump stated: "The pilots are fine. Nobody injured. We will issue a report tomorrow. But the pilots are fine."
The Army Apache helicopter gunship went down on Monday. Its two crew members were safely rescued, according to The New York Times, citing two people briefed on the incident.
Cause of Crash Unknown
It remains unclear whether the helicopter was shot down or experienced a mechanical problem, the report added.
Context of US-Iran Conflict
The Strait of Hormuz has been a flashpoint in the US-Iran conflict, which escalated after the US and Israel carried out joint strikes on several key Iranian sites on February 28. In April, Iran shot down a US Air Force F-15 Eagle, sparking an intense search for its pilot and navigator, both of whom were rescued.
Iran retaliated to the February strikes by closing the critical waterway—through which 20% of global oil passes—and striking sites across the region. The US implemented a blockade on Iranian ports in the strait to pressure peace talks and lift the Iranian closure.
The two sides have maintained a fragile ceasefire since April, but hostilities between Iran and Israel neared full-scale conflict at the start of the week.
Recent Escalations
Reports of the helicopter crash emerged shortly after Iran said it had ended attacks against Israel, following an exchange of fire that marked the biggest escalation since the US-Iran truce in April.
Hours later, Trump, speaking on a telerally on Monday, June 8, declared that the US would achieve "total victory" over Iran within two weeks. "You're really going to win it over the next two weeks when we declare total victory. It will be a total victory and it will happen very soon," he said.
