US Apache helicopter crashes near Strait of Hormuz; crew rescued, cause unclear
A U.S. Army Apache helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, and its two crew members were safely rescued, according to people briefed on the incident. The cause remains under investigation, with Iranian fire, mechanical failure, and other problems all possible explanations.
The crash
A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache gunship went down near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, two people briefed on the incident told The New York Times. The two crew members on board were rescued and are safe. It was not immediately known whether the helicopter was shot down by Iranian forces, suffered a mechanical failure, or encountered another problem.
It was not immediately clear whether the Apache was shot down by Iranian fire, experienced mechanical failure or encountered some other problem, said one of the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity and said the incident was under investigation.
No official statement had been released by the Trump administration or U.S. Central Command as of Monday night. This marks the first Apache lost in the conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran that began in late February.
The wider conflict
Since the war started on February 28, the U.S. military has used Apache helicopters, MQ-9 Reaper drones, F/A-18 fighters, and F-35 jets to challenge Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz to most commercial traffic. Iran has shot down about 30 Reaper drones, and a handful of U.S. fighter jets have been lost to hostile and friendly fire. The Apaches patrol the strategic waterway to deter small-boat attacks and shoot down drones, operating increasingly close to Iranian-controlled islands in the strait and Persian Gulf.
In response to Iran’s blockade, the U.S. imposed its own blockade on April 13, barring commercial vessels from entering or leaving Iranian ports. Last month, U.S. Central Command highlighted an operation called Project Freedom, in which the Navy helped guide commercial ships through the strait, a short-lived effort.
Recent escalation and de-escalation
Hostilities flared on June 7 and 8, when Iran launched a rocket attack on Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike on a Beirut suburb. Israel responded with attacks on targets inside Iran, prompting further Iranian strikes. After President Trump intervened, Israel agreed to halt its attacks, and Iran also decided to stop targeting Israel.
- U.S., Israel and Iran war begins
- U.S. imposes blockade on Iranian ports
- Iran launches rocket attack on Israel; Israel retaliates
- Hostilities halt after Trump intervention
- U.S. Apache helicopter crashes near Strait of Hormuz
Next steps
The investigation into the Apache crash is ongoing. The Trump administration has not yet provided a statement, and the military’s Central Command did not respond to a request for comment. The incident highlights the fragility of the cease-fire and the continued risks in the region as negotiations to reopen the strait proceed in fits and starts.
