WASHINGTON D.C  (VINnews) — President Trump said Tuesday that the United States must respond to an Iranian attack that downed a U.S. Army Apache helicopter patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, even as both pilots were safely rescued uninjured.

Trump, speaking after being briefed by the military, blamed Iran for the incident and signaled potential retaliation, referencing prior comments about a “red line” involving attacks on U.S. troops.

“I have just been informed by our great military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured, nevertheless the United States must of necessity respond to this attack.”

Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy reported on Trump’s earlier remarks in the Oval Office linking the killing of U.S. troops to resuming broader military operations against Iran. While no troops were killed in the helicopter incident, Trump indicated Iran had made a serious attempt.

U.S. Central Command confirmed that two Army aviators were rescued after their AH-64 Apache went down Monday night near the coast of Oman. The crew was recovered by an unmanned surface vessel in what officials described as a first-of-its-kind operation. The exact cause remains under investigation, though Trump and some reports attributed it to Iranian action.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with Iran engaged in conflicts involving the U.S. and Israel. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, and Iran has previously threatened to disrupt traffic there.

No further details on the nature or timing of a potential U.S. response were immediately available. Trump has previously stated that the deaths of American troops would cross a threshold for escalated action against Iran.