{"id":615805,"date":"2026-06-09T21:25:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T21:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/?p=615805"},"modified":"2026-06-09T21:25:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T21:25:00","slug":"us-begins-self-defense-strikes-against-iran-after-downing-of-apache-helicopter-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/?p=615805","title":{"rendered":"US Begins &#8216;Self-Defense&#8217; Strikes Against Iran After Downing Of Apache Helicopter"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden\">US Begins &#8216;Self-Defense&#8217; Strikes Against Iran After Downing Of Apache Helicopter<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item\">\n<h2>Summary:<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><em>Trump says <strong>&#8216;US must respond&#8217; <\/strong>after Iran downed Apache over Strait\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><em>Trump says\u00a0Washington and Tehran are in the <strong>&#8220;final throes&#8221; of cementing a deal, &#8220;two or three days&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><em>Iran <strong>shoots down US Apache helicopter over Strait<\/strong>, crew safe<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><em>Despite Trump calls for Israeli ceasefire, <strong>casualties are rising in southern Lebanon<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So much for the early hopes of an imminent deal&#8230;<\/p>\n\n<h2>US Begins &#8220;Self Defense&#8221; Strikes Against Iran<\/h2>\n<p>Just as President Trump has warned, US Central Command has just tweeted confirmation that the US military began <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CENTCOM\/status\/2064456815794909252\">&#8216;self defense&#8217; strikes against Iran<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>&#8220;U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces<strong> began launching self-defense strikes against Iran <\/strong>at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief\u2019s direction, <strong>in response to yesterday\u2019s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter<\/strong>. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Odds of a peace deal are sliding.<\/p>\n<h2>Trump Reacts to Apache Downing, Threatens Response<\/h2>\n<p>Following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/markets\/apache-helicopter-goes-down-near-strait-hormuz-iran-war-first-crew-rescued\">earlier reports\u00a0<\/a>that a US AH-64 Apache helicopter had gone down over the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman in an unprecedented first of the Iran war, moments ago Trump said on Truth Social that he had &#8220;<em>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. <strong>There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.<\/strong>&#8220;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a data-image-external-href=\"\" data-image-href=\"\/s3\/files\/inline-images\/trump%20shut%20downb.jpg?itok=StdxoySB\" data-link-option=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/cms.zerohedge.com\/s3\/files\/inline-images\/trump%20shut%20downb.jpg?itok=StdxoySB\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"de725f88-c142-4f32-8338-340e50b2cc0b\" data-responsive-image-style=\"inline_images\" height=\"237\" width=\"500\" class=\"inline-images image-style-inline-images\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.zerohedge.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/inline_image_mobile\/public\/inline-images\/trump%20shut%20downb.jpg?itok=StdxoySB\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The news that the US may imminently resume the Iran war &#8211; sent oil surging\u00a0instantly&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a data-image-external-href=\"\" data-image-href=\"\/s3\/files\/inline-images\/WTI%20crude_20.jpg?itok=_ECi2hpY\" data-link-option=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/cms.zerohedge.com\/s3\/files\/inline-images\/WTI%20crude_20.jpg?itok=_ECi2hpY\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"6a21cb3a-6c29-47fe-9973-541e04f16672\" data-responsive-image-style=\"inline_images\" height=\"273\" width=\"500\" class=\"inline-images image-style-inline-images\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.zerohedge.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/inline_image_mobile\/public\/inline-images\/WTI%20crude_20.jpg?itok=_ECi2hpY\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; as Trump&#8217;s latest promise that a huge peace is coming appears to have unraveled yet again.<\/p>\n<h2>Trump Says In &#8216;Final Throes&#8217; of Iran Deal&#8230; Again<\/h2>\n<p>President Trump is still maintaining that Washington and Tehran are in the <strong>&#8220;final throes&#8221; of cementing a deal<\/strong>, and is even suggesting (once again) that an agreement will be done <a href=\"https:\/\/kuwaittimes.com\/article\/44677\/world\/trump-says-in-final-throes-of-reaching-middle-east-peace-deal\/\">in days<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>Asked whether it would be matter of days or weeks, he said it would take <strong>\u201ctwo or three days\u201d<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Tehran has repeatedly stated any deal should include Lebanon\u2014where Israel has been pressing its war with Iran-backed Hezbollah\u2014and fired missiles at Israel on Sunday.\u00a0That prompted Israeli retaliation, despite US pressure for restraint.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Iran fired another salvo before announcing it was ceasing military action, and hours later Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the \u201cfire on that front is contained\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Of course, we&#8217;ve been hearing that the war is merely &#8216;days&#8217; away from ending from basically the start of the war. And yet, all too predictably, the two sides keep going up the escalation ladder in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/14\/how-iran-war-escalate-vietnam-trump-netanyahu-us-israel\">escalation trap<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But the White House is saying that it will forge a deal which is good for the American people, whether Israel likes it or not.<strong> &#8220;Israel may like that, they may not like that \u2014 but this is in the best interest of the United States,&#8221;<\/strong> Vice President JD Vance <a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstpost.com\/world\/vance-says-us-will-pursue-iran-nuclear-deal-regardless-of-israels-position-14020341.html\">spelled out<\/a> to Fox this week.<\/p>\n<h2>US Apache Helicopter Shot Down over Strait, Crew Safe<\/h2>\n<p>A US helicopter has <strong>gone down over the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman in an unprecedented first of the Iran war<\/strong>, Central Command announced Tuesday, after which the two crew members were reportedly rescued by unmanned boats.<\/p>\n<p>The Army AH-64 Apache was patrolling regional waters before the downing incident, which is still shrouded in mystery, and which the Pentagon says it is now investigating. However, the Iranians are saying they know exactly what happened &#8211;<strong> insisting that the Apache was shot down<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a data-image-external-href=\"\" data-image-href=\"https:\/\/assets.zerohedge.com\/s3fs-public\/inline-images\/apachedown.jpg?itok=R7X2uiLC\" data-link-option=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/assets.zerohedge.com\/s3fs-public\/inline-images\/apachedown.jpg?itok=R7X2uiLC\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"5b9ba7d7-5d03-4b63-8d07-a79a8d57ee88\" data-responsive-image-style=\"inline_images\" height=\"268\" width=\"500\" class=\"inline-images image-style-inline-images\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.zerohedge.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/inline_image_mobile\/public\/inline-images\/apachedown.jpg?itok=R7X2uiLC\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;An AH-64 Apache attack helicopter belonging to the U.S. Army <strong>was shot down and destroyed by the IRGC Navy<\/strong> near the Strait of Hormuz, after ignoring warnings and being <strong>targeted by fired from one of our speedboats<\/strong>,&#8221; an Iranian military central command statement has <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Ebrahim_Zolfgri\/status\/2064251130792874114\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The NY Times, among the first to report the downing, underscores the claims and counter-claims concerning what <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/06\/08\/us\/politics\/us-helicopter-strait-of-hormuz.html\">happened<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>It was not immediately clear whether the Apache was shot down by Iranian fire, experienced mechanical failure or encountered some other problem, said a person briefed on the incident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Central Command said in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/centcom\/status\/2064290478091067601?s=51\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"\">a statement<\/a>\u00a0that the incident was under investigation.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But the Pentagon says the crew was successfully rescued. The unusual rescue by unmanned boats adds another layer of complexity and strangeness to the story.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;A Task Force 59 unmanned surface vessel, essentially a drone boat, found and rescued the soldiers,&#8221; spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/us-news\/pilots-fine-us-military-helicopter-goes-down-strait-hormuz-rcna349137\">described<\/a> to NBC News. The pair of pilots are now receiving medical care, he indicated, after their rescue came within two hours of the aircraft going down.<\/p>\n<p>Trump briefly spoke to journalists\u00a0at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York after watching the NBA Finals on Monday night and he acknowledged the rare crash in the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The pilots are fine. Yeah,&#8221; Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/09\/nx-s1-5851482\/trump-pilots-us-helicopter-crash\">said<\/a>. &#8220;Nobody injured. We are going to issue a report tomorrow. <strong>But the pilots are fine<\/strong>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Apaches, along with A-10 gunships, have been frequently used for low-flying operations in the Persian Gulf and Hormuz region, in order to attack Iranian small boast.<\/p>\n<p>As for the Iranian claims of shootdown, it remains a top most plausible scenario, but the Pentagon has not said whether it took on Iranian fire.<\/p>\n<p><em>FOX: American military forces, including U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, the 82nd Airborne Division, and U.S. 5th Fleet assets, helped bring both soldiers to safety.<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\" xml:lang=\"en\">NEW: Two U.S. soldiers are safe after a dramatic rescue operation off the coast of Oman.<\/p>\n<p>CENTCOM says the crew members were recovered roughly two hours after their AH-64 Apache helicopter went down while patrolling regional waters.<\/p>\n<p>American military forces, including U.S. Naval\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/iBr7WiQnKB\">pic.twitter.com\/iBr7WiQnKB<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FoxNews\/status\/2064312322261197134?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 9, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>During earlier operations connected to Epic Fury, other US military aerial assets have crashed or sustained damage over the region &#8211; however, the Pentagon has downplayed or rejected efforts to link a number of incidents to Iranian attack, apparently not wishing to give Tehran a battlefield &#8216;success&#8217; acknowledgement.<\/p>\n<p>But many independent pundits have suspected that all along the Iranians have been hitting a lot more American assets than previously disclosed.<\/p>\n<h2>Death Toll Soars As Israel Pounds South Lebanon<\/h2>\n<p>The southern Lebanese city of Tyre is being pounded by Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday, despite President Trump&#8217;s insistence that Lebanon not come under attack. Israel&#8217;s military had hours prior issued an evacuation order for all civilians in the area, amid the unraveling and failing ceasefire.<\/p>\n<p>Casualties are already high, coming at a tense moment after starting on Sunday Iran sent ballistic missiles against Israel over its renewed airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, where it says Hezbollah command centers are located.<\/p>\n<p>The NY Times <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/06\/09\/world\/middleeast\/israel-strikes-lebanese-city-of-tyre-as-new-cease-fire-falters.html\">reports<\/a> of the growing death toll Tuesday, &#8220;<strong>At least eight people were killed in the bombardment, and dozens more were wounded<\/strong>, Lebanon\u2019s health ministry said. The Israeli military also targeted towns and villages across southern Lebanon, including areas that <strong>were not covered by evacuation warnings<\/strong>, according to the country\u2019s state-run news agency.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a data-image-external-href=\"\" data-image-href=\"\/s3\/files\/inline-images\/tyreattack1.jpg?itok=8hMz7POy\" data-link-option=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/cms.zerohedge.com\/s3\/files\/inline-images\/tyreattack1.jpg?itok=8hMz7POy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<figure role=\"group\" class=\"caption caption-img inline-images image-style-inline-images\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"b01a07bb-ed05-43a8-95eb-9f378a29e289\" data-responsive-image-style=\"inline_images\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.zerohedge.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/inline_image_mobile\/public\/inline-images\/tyreattack1.jpg?itok=8hMz7POy\" width=\"500\" \/><figcaption><em>Attack on Tyre, via AFP<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>So clearly the <strong>air raids are expanding<\/strong>, per the report, even after the latest <strong>Trump warnings directed at Netanyahu to not do anything that would sabotage a broader Iran peace agreement<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>      <span class=\"field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden\"><a title=\"View user profile.\" href=\"https:\/\/cms.zerohedge.com\/users\/tyler-durden\" lang=\"\" class=\"username\" xml:lang=\"\">Tyler Durden<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden\">Tue, 06\/09\/2026 &#8211; 17:25<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.zerohedge.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/inline_image_mobile\/public\/inline-images\/trump%20shut%20downb.jpg?itok=StdxoySB\" title=\"US Begins &apos;Self-Defense&apos; Strikes Against Iran After Downing Of Apache Helicopter\" \/><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>US Begins &#8216;Self-Defense&#8217; Strikes Against Iran After Downing Of Apache Helicopter Summary: Trump says &#8216;US must respond&#8217; after Iran downed Apache over Strait\u00a0 Trump says\u00a0Washington and Tehran are in the &#8220;final throes&#8221; of cementing a deal, &#8220;two or three days&#8221; Iran shoots down US Apache helicopter over Strait, crew safe Despite Trump calls for Israeli&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/?p=615805\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">US Begins &#8216;Self-Defense&#8217; Strikes Against Iran After Downing Of Apache Helicopter<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":615795,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[18,19,10,21,12,11,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-615805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cancel-culture","category-censorship","category-civil-liberties","category-election-integrity","category-equal-justice","category-free-speech","category-religious-freedom","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615805","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=615805"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615805\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/615795"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=615805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=615805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=615805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}