A U.S. military helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. Following the accident, Donald Trump said both pilots were safe and no one was injured.
In a statement to reporters on Tuesday morning, Trump confirmed the pilots' 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 individuals briefed about the event.
Iranian media also covered the incident. The semi-official Mehr News Agency reported on Tuesday that Iran did not claim responsibility for the event.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have not yet made a statement following the incident. The Pentagon also refrained from immediate 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 dropped, and markets partially recovered.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic passage through which about one-fifth of the global oil supply passes. While Iran has maintained its influence over the strait since the start of the conflict with the U.S. and Israel, Trump said the sea route would be reopened to end the war.
Regarding a possible agreement with Iran, Trump claimed negotiations had reached the final stage. He said they were very close to a deal 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 saw no sticking points in the agreement. He also stated that a deal 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 remarks came after Iran launched missile attacks against Israel in response to an Israeli strike on Beirut on Sunday night. Israel retaliated with airstrikes; the parties continued attacks until Monday morning before withdrawing.
Trump also confirmed discussing 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, which had previously been excluded from the evacuation.
