U.S. Apache helicopter shot down over Strait of Hormuz

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Iran shot down an American Apache helicopter, according to President Donald Trump. The incident happened overnight while the aircraft was patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz, raising doubts about a fragile ceasefire between the two nations.

President Donald Trump confirmed the downing on Truth Social, saying the Iranians shot down one of the highly sophisticated Apache helicopters. Trump said the United States must respond to the attack.

Both American pilots are safe and uninjured. U.S. Central Command said they were rescued by a drone boat in what it called “a first-of-its-kind operation at sea.”

The incident comes as Trump said the end of the war is near.

“They were going back and forth and now they’ve both agreed through me to stop and we’re in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal that will not allow in any way, shape or form nuclear weapons, etc. and the strait will open up right away. It’ll open up immediately upon signing, which could be in 2 or 3 days,” Trump told reporters after the Knicks-Spurs game Monday night.

U.S. and Iranian forces have skirmished multiple times in recent weeks. The U.S. continues enforcing a naval blockade of Iranian ports. President Trump has said repeatedly that a deal with Tehran will be announced in just a few days or weeks.

Late Tuesday, U.S. Central Command confirmed retaliatory strikes were underway, posting in a statement on social media, “The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression."