CIREBON NEWS – The United States (US) suffered another loss when an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter exploded while on patrol over the Strait of Hormuz. The US accused Iran of being behind the incident, while Tehran remained silent.
Meanwhile, Axios media quoted US officials as reporting that before exploding, an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter collided with an Iranian drone. This indicates that the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz has not yet subsided.
US President Donald Trump promised to retaliate if it was discovered that an Iranian drone was the cause of the explosion of the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. Iran must be prepared to bear the risks of its actions.
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Earlier on Tuesday, US Central Command said the helicopter “crashed” off the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters. The military did not say what caused the crash, saying only that the two pilots were rescued about two hours later, and the incident was under investigation.
Iran has so far remained silent despite appearing to have a policy of widely publicizing interceptions of enemy aircraft in several clashes with the US military amid a fragile ceasefire. However, Trump firmly blamed Tehran for the downing of the helicopter, and promised to retaliate.
“There were two pilots involved, both of whom survived and were uninjured. Nonetheless, the United States must, if necessary, respond to this attack,” Trump wrote on his TruthSocial platform.
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Prior to Trump’s announcement, media reports indicated that a US military investigation had not been able to determine whether the destruction of the plane was intentional. The rescue operation that followed involved maritime drones for the first time, CENTCOM spokesman Tim Hawkins told Axios.
The incident comes after the worst escalation since the start of the April ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. This increase in tensions was sparked by Israel’s ongoing campaign against the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.
Iran has previously made its own negotiation process contingent on a lasting ceasefire in the country, which has never materialized.
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Israel and Iran exchanged blows on Monday, with Tehran insisting that the US bears “direct responsibility” for Israel’s attack on the Lebanese capital Beirut, which was the immediate trigger for the exchange.
Washington has sought to distance itself from the escalation of tensions, with Trump urging both sides to show restraint.
The US leader threatened Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with withdrawing military support, telling Axios in a telephone interview on Monday that “if [Netanyahu] goes to war with Iran, he may find himself fighting alone.”
