Summary
- Both countries announced on Monday that they had halted attacks following Trump’s appeal, though Tehran warned it would resume strikes if Israel continued targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.
- Israel has already issued evacuation orders for the Lebanese city of Tyre, including its Christian quarter, ahead of possible new strikes.
- Iran fired missiles toward Israel late Sunday in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Hezbollah positions near Beirut.
Two U.S. Army helicopter crew members were rescued by a Navy drone after their Apache gunship went down in the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday.
The incident occurred in Iranian‑controlled waters, though it remains unclear whether the aircraft was shot down, suffered mechanical failure, or encountered another problem. A Navy surface drone located the crew and brought them to safety within two hours. Central Command said both were in stable condition.
Speaking at New York’s JFK Airport before returning to Washington, Trump told reporters: “The pilots are fine. Nobody injured.” He added that a report on the cause of the crash would be issued later in the day.
The rescue came amid a fragile pause in hostilities between Iran and Israel. Both countries announced on Monday that they had halted attacks following Trump’s appeal, though Tehran warned it would resume strikes if Israel continued targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel has already issued evacuation orders for the Lebanese city of Tyre, including its Christian quarter, ahead of possible new strikes.
The latest exchanges highlight the volatility of the ceasefire announced on April 8. Iran fired missiles toward Israel late Sunday in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Hezbollah positions near Beirut. Israel responded with attacks on Iranian air defense systems and a petrochemical plant it said was producing ballistic missile components. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it then targeted a similar facility in Haifa.
Trump has been pressing for a broader deal with Tehran, telling reporters he might have “an idea” within days. He also said he warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to escalate further: “Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon.”
The wider conflict, launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28, has already displaced millions and disrupted global energy flows. Iran continues to block most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, once a conduit for a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas, while Washington has imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports.
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