Trump vows response after Iran downs U.S. helicopter
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A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter on June 11, 2025. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
President Trump said the U.S. military has determined that Iran shot down the U.S. helicopter that crashed on Monday in the Strait of Hormuz and pledged a military response.
Why it matters: The incident took place amid U.S.-Iranian negotiations and just a day after Trump brokered a renewed ceasefire between Iran and Israel. It could ignite a fresh round of escalation.
- A U.S. official told Axios the investigation determined that an Iranian drone hit the helicopter, causing it to crash. The U.S. official said the investigation had not determined whether that was intentional.
Driving the news: A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache went down near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
- As of Tuesday morning U.S. time, officials were still investigating whether Iranian fire brought it down, two American officials and a third source with knowledge tell Axios. Trump later blamed Iran.
- "I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz. There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
- The shootdown came after Israel and Iran exchanged strikes for the first time since the April 8 ceasefire, with Trump urging both sides to show restraint.
The other side: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to Trump's threat on X:
- "Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire. To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave. We prefer language of diplomacy but speak other languages too."
Zoom in: Both crew members were rescued around 7:30pm ET, about two hours after the helicopter went down off the coast of Oman, U.S. Central Command said in a post on X. They are in stable condition.
- A source familiar with the incident said there was a dramatic hours-long search before the crew was found.
- A U.S. Navy drone boat found the crew in the water and carried out the rescue — the first time maritime drones had been used for such a mission, CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins told Axios.
- The drone, made by Saronic, is part of the 5th Fleet's Task Force 59, which operates maritime drones, sometimes with AI, Hawkins says.
This is a developing story and has been updated throughout.
