US loses first Apache helicopter in Iran conflict
Photo: Apache helicopter (Getty Images)
An American AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. This is the first time such a helicopter has been destroyed since the start of the conflict with Iran, according to The New York Times.
The military helicopter crash occurred on Monday, June 8. An investigation into the circumstances of the incident is currently underway.
The exact causes of the crash have not yet been determined, experts are investigating whether a technical malfunction occurred or if the helicopter could have been shot down by Iranian fire. Other unforeseen issues are also not ruled out.
"Iran has shot down about 30 unmanned Reaper drones, and a handful of US fighter jets have been lost to hostile and friendly fire since the war started on Feb. 28. But this would be the first Apache lost in the conflict," the journalists note.
US President Donald Trump confirms the crash and reported a successful rescue operation.
He emphasizes that the pilots are okay, and no one was injured.
Trump did not provide additional details regarding the circumstances of the crash, but noted that an official report on the incident would be released the following day.
At the start of the operation in Iran, the US was spending about half a billion dollars a day. The total losses could turn out to be even higher depending on what equipment was located at the American facilities that Tehran attacked.
US Vice President JD Vance stated outright that Washington’s and Jerusalem’s positions on Iran may not align. For the US, reaching a nuclear agreement with Tehran remains a key priority.
