The United States launched strikes on Iran on Tuesday in response to the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. The incident occurred on Monday evening, with Iranian forces suspected in the attack. Two American pilots were rescued unharmed.
U.S. Central Command confirmed the helicopter went down at 7:33 p.m. ET on June 8 near the coast of Oman while on patrol. President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that Iranian forces shot down the aircraft. The two crew members were rescued within two hours using an AI-powered Saronic Corsair unmanned surface vessel operated by Task Force 59. Capt. Tim Hawkins said it marked the first real-world use of such a drone boat in a rescue operation. Both pilots are in stable condition. Trump announced the strikes as a proportional response to the attack. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Iran would not leave threats unanswered. The event occurred amid ongoing ceasefire talks that began in April.
