An American AH-64 Apache attack helicopter went down near the coast of Oman on June 8, with US officials attributing the incident to an Iranian drone strike. The helicopter was operating on patrol near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz when it was reportedly hit, marking one of the most direct military confrontations between the US and Iran in recent memory.
President Donald Trump confirmed via Truth Social that Iranian forces shot down the helicopter. Both crew members survived and were rescued unharmed, a detail that may have prevented this from becoming an even more explosive geopolitical flashpoint.
What happened and what came next
The Apache went down around 3:30 a.m. local time during what officials described as a patrol operation. Pentagon and US Central Command officials believe the helicopter was struck by an Iranian drone, likely a Shahed model, the same family of one-way attack drones that Iran has exported to Russia for use in Ukraine and deployed through its regional proxy networks.
The rescue operation itself was notable. Both crew members were pulled from the water by an unmanned drone boat, which officials say represents the first reported sea rescue of its kind.
