President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that two American helicopter pilots are safe following a crash near the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports that the Apache gunship crew was successfully rescued after their aircraft went down close to the Iran-controlled waterway.
The cause behind the Apache’s crash remains unknown, with uncertainty over whether Iranian forces shot down the helicopter, if it suffered mechanical problems, or encountered different issues entirely.
Reuters reached out to the White House, U.S. Department of State, and U.S. Central Command for comment but received no immediate response.
When reporters asked Trump about what caused the helicopter to go down, he indicated officials would release a report later Tuesday.
“The pilots are fine,” Trump stated while speaking to media on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport before his return trip to Washington, D.C. “Nobody injured.”
This helicopter incident occurred one day after Iran and Israel announced they had stopped attacking each other following Trump’s appeal, although Tehran issued warnings that hostilities would restart if Israel kept striking Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The renewed fragile ceasefire develops as Washington attempts to negotiate an agreement with Tehran to conclude their conflict that has lasted over three months.
Trump also mentioned to reporters he might have “an idea” for an Iran deal in the coming days, though he provided no details. The Republican president, facing historically low approval numbers before November midterm elections, has frequently suggested an approaching deal with Tehran, but none has materialized.
The weekend brought the most direct confrontation between Iran and Israel since their April ceasefire.
Tehran launched missiles toward Israeli territory late Sunday, describing the attacks as payback for strikes against the Iranian-supported Hezbollah militia near Beirut.
Israel responded by targeting Iranian air defense systems and a petrochemical facility that officials claimed was being used for ballistic missile production. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported it struck back at a comparable Israeli facility in Haifa.
Authorities from both sides reported no fatalities.
U.S. and Israeli officials confirmed Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a phone conversation Monday.
During an Axios interview, Trump revealed he cautioned Netanyahu that resuming war with Iran could leave the Israeli leader fighting without support. “I said, ‘Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon,’” Trump stated.
An Israeli military official indicated Israel was ready to maintain operations for “as long as it takes,” while Iranian officials expressed similarly defiant positions.
A military source cited by the semi-official Tasnim news agency stated Tehran was prepared for extended conflict and could restart attacks against U.S. interests throughout the region.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described Tehran’s message exchanges with Washington as occurring in an atmosphere of “extreme suspicion.”
Tehran has maintained that any peace agreement with the U.S. partially depends on ending the fighting in Lebanon, which Israel entered in March while pursuing Hezbollah fighters who had launched cross-border attacks.
Israel has not stopped its Lebanon campaign, which has resulted in thousands of deaths, arguing the conflict should remain separate from any U.S.-Iranian ceasefire. Hezbollah has maintained its attacks as well.
Tehran continues blocking most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which transported one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas before the war began. Washington has established its own blockade of Iranian ports.
Trump has stated any peace agreement must prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran’s conditions include removing international sanctions, releasing billions in frozen assets, and acknowledging its control over the strait.
