In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region and ongoing hostilities between the United States and Iran.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the AH-64 Apache helicopter went down near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters. The two crew members on board were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are reported to be in stable condition.
According to CENTCOM, the rescue operation involved US Naval Forces Central Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, with additional support from US Air Force and Navy units, including Task Force 59 of the US 5th Fleet.
Officials said the soldiers were recovered using an uncrewed surface drone operated by Task Force 59, a Bahrain-based unit focused on integrating unmanned systems into maritime security operations across the Middle East.
Trump alleged that Iran was responsible for downing the helicopter, calling it “one of our highly sophisticated Apache helicopters” and suggesting it was shot down while operating in the Strait of Hormuz. However, no independent confirmation has been provided regarding the cause of the crash.
The incident comes at a sensitive diplomatic moment, as earlier statements from both Washington and Tehran indicated that indirect negotiations were ongoing, despite continued military tensions in the region.
Iranian officials have not issued a detailed response to the specific claim, but senior figures have previously warned that any escalation would be met with retaliation, further heightening concerns over regional stability.
