A US military helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump said after the accident that both pilots are safe and no one was injured.
On Tuesday morning, Trump told reporters that the pilots were in good condition and said a report on the incident would be released the next day. No clear information was initially provided about the cause of the crash.
The incident was first reported by the New York Times. The report stated that the helicopter was an Apache type and the information was based on two people briefed about the incident.
Iranian media also covered the incident. The semi-official Mehr News Agency reported on Tuesday that Iran did not take responsibility for the incident.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have not yet made a statement following the incident. The Pentagon also did not immediately comment on the crash.
The helicopter crash came shortly after the most intense reciprocal attacks between Iran and Israel since the April ceasefire. The parties later halted the conflict, oil prices fell, and markets partially recovered.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic passage through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. While Iran has maintained its influence over the strait since the start of the conflict with the US and Israel, Trump said the sea route would be reopened to end the war.
Regarding a possible deal with Iran, Trump claimed negotiations had reached the final stage. He said they were very close to an agreement that would not allow nuclear weapons under any circumstances, and that the strait would be reopened immediately upon signing, possibly within two or three days.
When asked by reporters about the biggest obstacle, he said he did not see any sticking points in the agreement. He also stated that an agreement would be stronger than bombardment.
Trump has frequently said in recent weeks that both sides were close to an agreement following the ceasefire. However, no concrete consensus has emerged so far.
These latest statements came after Iran launched missile attacks on Israel in response to an Israeli strike on Beirut on Sunday night. Israel retaliated with airstrikes; the parties continued attacks until Monday morning and then withdrew.
Trump also confirmed that he discussed the reciprocal attacks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call. Speaking after watching the NBA Finals in New York, Trump said Netanyahu was hit and responded, and that he could not object to that.
On Tuesday, Israel continued its military activity in Lebanon and issued an evacuation order for the southern city of Sidon. The Israeli army claimed that Iran-backed Hezbollah elements were present in the area and said the order included the Christian Quarter of the city, which had previously been excluded.
