US helicopter over Strait of Hormuz brought down by Shahed drone, CNN reports
Photo: Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone (Getty Images)
A US AH-64 Apache military helicopter that crashed in the area of the Strait of Hormuz was brought down by an Iranian Shahed-type drone, CNN reports.
Two US officials said that the helicopter was shot down by an Iranian drone. Another source familiar with the incident said that an Iranian Shahed drone collided with the Apache.
In addition, the US military said that the two crew members were rescued by an unmanned surface vessel. It transported them to another location on the water, where they were picked up by a helicopter.
The military noted that the rescue operation involved a US Navy Corsair-class unmanned surface vessel, which entered service in late March.
The New York Times reported that on June 8, a US AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. It was the first loss of such equipment since the start of the war with Iran.
The US president confirmed the incident and said the rescue operation had been successful. However, the official cause of the crash has not yet been disclosed.
At the beginning of the operation in Iraq, US daily expenditures amounted to about $500 million. Washington's losses from Tehran's strikes could prove even greater, depending on the type of equipment located at the targeted US bases.
In addition, a Black Hawk helicopter was shot down over Iran in early April. At the time, the Pentagon said that the entire crew had been evacuated and that all service members were safe.
