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WASHINGTON/BEIRUT/DUBAI, June 9 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday Iran had shot down a U.S. Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz and vowed to respond, deepening doubts about prospects for peace between the two countries.
Trump said the two U.S. pilots involved in the incident were uninjured.
“Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack,” he said on social media.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi did not directly address the incident, but said foreign forces in the region risked being involved in accidents or crossfire.
“To reduce risk, the best solution is for them to leave,” he continued.
A U.S. Navy surface drone found and rescued the two crew, the U.S. military said, after the U.S. Army attack helicopter went down in waters near Oman’s coast while on patrol at around 3 a.m. on Tuesday (2300 GMT on Monday).
The U.S. military’s Central Command gave no reason for the crash. It said the soldiers were rescued after two hours and said they were in stable condition.
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