The Independent68%
US Apache helicopter crashes near the Strait of Hormuz 56%
By Alex Croft76%
6/9/2026, 4:17:13 AM
BS Summary: This article contains 16 faulty reasoning types, including Negativity Bias, Optimism Bias, and Appeal to Authority, with Self-Serving Bias as the most egregious example at 13.4% saturation with 63 hits. Analysis detected 555 faulty-reasoning hits from 471 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 53.1% and a BS Rank of 56% (9,822 of 21,887 articles). This article is worse (more manipulative) than 55.10% of the article peer group.
A U.S.
Apache helicopter has crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, hours after hostilities in the region escalated with Iran and Israel exchanging their first direct strikes in two months.
The helicopters, which cost around $35 million to $40 million, have been used by the U.S. military to police a blockade of Iranian ports near the strait, as part of its large military presence in the region.
Apache aircraft have been previously used to attack Iranian small boats – but the U.S. military has not said whether the helicopter was shot down by Iranian fire, experienced mechanical failure or encountered some other problem.
A navy drone found and rescued the two crew from the waters of the Strait of Hormuz, Centcom said on Tuesday.
The pair were rescued within about two hours and were in stable condition.
President Donald Trump said the two pilots who were inside the gunship “are fine” after being rescued when the aircraft plummeted into the Iran-controlled waterway.
Iranian state media acknowledged the helicopter crash but did not elaborate on the circumstances.
The resumption in conflict between Iran and Israel has threatened ongoing peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, but Trump said the U.S. has a “very good chance” of signing a peace deal “in two or three days.”
“Nobody injured.
We are going to issue a report tomorrow.
But the pilots are fine,” Trump said.
Iranian involvement in the helicopter crash would cast doubt over a peace deal, but there is currently no suggestion from Washington or Tehran that it was the result of a deliberate attack.
Re-engaging in what has already been a very costly war for the U.S. — with the Apache helicopter one of dozens of military aircraft to have been lost or damaged — is not in the Trump administration’s interest.
More than 42 aircraft have been damaged, including F-15 fighter jets, an F-35 Lightning II aircraft, drones, and a HH-60W Jolly Green II combat search-and-rescue helicopter due to incidents including friendly fire and combat operations.
Apache helicopters, while costing around $35m to $40m for the airframe alone, typically cost between $52m and $100m when including weapons, spare parts and training packages as part of the acquisition.
The F-35A Lightning II alone is worth around $110m, according to the Centre for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
A single F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jet estimated to cost around $30m when purchased in 1998 is now worth between $65m and $70m when adjusted for inflation.
Four F-35s have been destroyed in the conflict so far, including three that were shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait on 2 March.
A congressional report noted that the Pentagon had revised its estimates for repair and replacement costs from $25 billion to $29 billion over the same period.
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81%flagged-word coveragePresident Donald Trump
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