Donald Trump has blamed Iran for downing a US army helicopter near the strait of Hormuz on Tuesday and said the United States must respond to the attack.
A drone boat rescued two army crew members who were onboard the Apache attack helicopter when it went down near the waterway that Iran has all but closed during its war with the US and Israel. Trump said in a social media post that both service members were “safe and uninjured”.
“Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack,” Trump wrote.
The helicopter went down as the Middle East was still reeling after Iran and Israel exchanged fire on Monday in the biggest blow yet to the strained ceasefire in the Iran war. Iranian state television reported on Tuesday that the Israeli attacks killed at least two members of the country’s air defence units.
Since the US and Israel began striking Iran on 28 February the war has shaken the global economy, driven up energy prices around the world and made many basics, including food, more expensive.
Officials have been unable to turn the April ceasefire into a deal to permanently end the conflict, particularly as Israel intensifies and expands its military campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia.
The crash happened at about 3.30am local time on Tuesday off the coast of Oman while the helicopter was on a patrol, US Central Command said.
An unmanned boat located the two aviators after they spent about two hours in the water, said Centcom spokesperson Capt Tim Hawkins. He said it was the first known drone rescue at sea by the US military.
Military officials did not say what caused the Apache helicopter to go down, saying the crash was under investigation. Trump said he had just learned Iran was responsible before posting his accusation on Tuesday.
AH-64 Apache helicopters have been a key asset for the American military as it enforces a blockade on Iranian crude oil shipments and tankers, seeking to put pressure on Tehran to make a deal. The helicopters have also been used by the United Arab Emirates to shoot down Iranian drones.
The drone used to perform the rescue was a 24-foot (7.3-metre) vessel called a Corsair, Hawkins said.
Before he accused Iran of downing the US helicopter, Trump had expressed renewed optimism over negotiations with Iran.
“We have a good chance” of signing a deal in “two or three days”, Trump said. But he didn’t provide any details on why there was reason for new optimism. In the two months since the US and Iran agreed to an initial ceasefire, Trump has repeatedly predicted that a deal is near.
