An AH-64 Apache helicopter went down Monday near the Strait of Hormuz, its two-person crew was rescued by an unmanned surface sea drone in the U.S. military's first such water rescue, and President Donald Trump said the pilots "are fine" and no one was injured.
U.S. Central Command said Tuesday the cause of the incident is under investigation.
CENTCOM said the two soldiers were rescued at about 7:30 p.m. Eastern on Monday, within approximately two hours of the Apache going down near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters, and both were in stable condition.
Military officials told CBS News the pair were rescued by an unmanned surface drone operated by Task Force 59, which is based with the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, and said rescue efforts were led by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the 82nd Airborne Division with support from U.S. Air Force and Navy units including Task Force 59.
Officials said it was the first time a drone has been used for a water rescue by U.S. forces; a Task Force 59 document from July 2023 shows multiple naval drones, and Task Force 59 launched a unit in 2024 focusing on operational deployment of unmanned systems teamed with manned operators to bolster maritime security in the Middle East. CBS News could not confirm which system was used, and a U.S. official told ABC News the drone had a speedboat-like design.
Trump said, "We are going to issue a report tomorrow."
He also said, "We're in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal that will not allow in any way, shape or form nuclear weapons," and added, "The strait will open up right away. It'll open up immediately upon signing, which could be in two or three days."
Trump has repeatedly suggested the two sides are close to a deal since they agreed to a ceasefire, but so far no agreement has materialized.
Trump was speaking hours after Iran and Israel exchanged their first direct attacks since the April truce, threatening a return to all-out war in the Middle East; the adversaries later stepped away from the clash.
Israel has continued its parallel war against Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, with new airstrikes on the southern city of Tyre and a sweeping order for residents to evacuate surrounding areas, Iranian officials warned that any new Israeli attacks in Lebanon would be met with a "severe" response, and Hezbollah has continued launching rockets at northern Israel.