BREAKING: Trump says U.S. ‘must’ respond after Iran shots down Army helicopter near Strait of Hormuz

According to a report attributed to Al Jazeera, President Donald Trump has accused Iran of shooting down an unarmed United States military helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the incident would draw a response while emphasizing that Washington is not seeking a wider military confrontation.

Speaking to journalists at the White House Rose Garden, Trump stated that the aircraft involved was an MH-60 Seahawk conducting what he described as a routine reconnaissance operation in international airspace when it was allegedly hit by a surface-to-air missile. He said all four personnel on board were killed, making it the first reported loss of US military personnel in the region since 2020.

“Iran has made a very big mistake,” Trump said. “We have conclusive evidence the missile came from their Revolutionary Guard facility near Bandar Abbas. They shot down an American aircraft in international skies, and we will not let that stand.”

The US president disclosed that possible response measures under consideration include further economic sanctions as well as potential strikes against Iranian radar installations. However, when asked whether the incident could lead to a broader conflict, Trump maintained that the United States was not pursuing war.

“We’re not looking for war, but we’re not looking away either,” he said.

Iran’s delegation to the United Nations rejected the accusation, describing it as an unfounded provocation. Iranian officials reportedly suggested that the helicopter may have entered or approached Iranian territorial waters, a claim disputed by US authorities.

The Pentagon subsequently released radar information which it said demonstrated that the aircraft remained in international airspace at the time of the incident.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly briefed NATO allies on the situation, while the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group was said to be repositioning closer to the Gulf region.

“Iran will learn soon enough that this was a catastrophic miscalculation,” Trump added. “We will respond proportionally, but powerfully.”