Two crew members were safely rescued by US forces after their Apache helicopter went down off the Omani coast near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday evening, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Tuesday.
"The Soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation," CENTCOM said in a statement.
It added that the military helicopter went down "while patrolling regional waters." Apache attack helicopters are primarily used for precision strikes, close air support, and air reconnaissance, according to information on the CENTCOM website.
On Sunday, Iran’s armed forces fired missiles at Israel for the first time in two months despite a ceasefire agreed with the US. In response, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on Iran.
Both countries announced later on Monday that they would suspend the mutual hostilities.
A ceasefire between the United States and Iran has been in place since April 8, agreed more than a month after the US and Israel began their war against Iran on February 28.
US President Donald Trump is seeking an agreement with Iran to end the conflict in the long term. The latest developments, however, are a major stress test for the talks.
Trump has so far played down the consequences and said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would also have to accept an agreement.
