Donald Trump says pilots are fine after US helicopter crashes near Strait of Hormuz

A US Army helicopter crashed near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz but both crew members on board escaped without injuries US President Donald Trump said on Monday The incident occurred as tensions continue to simmer across the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran Israel and their regional alliesThe cause of the crash was not immediately known and US military officials had yet to provide detailed information on the circumstances surrounding the incidentCrash adds to concerns in volatile Gulf regionThe helicopter crash took place near the Strait of Hormuz a critical maritime route through which a significant portion of the worlds oil supply passes The waterway has remained at the centre of regional tensions during the ongoing conflict involving Iran and IsraelReports of the crash emerged as the Middle East continued to grapple with renewed hostilities Iran and Israel exchanged fire a day earlier in what was described as one of the most serious escalations since a fragile ceasefire was reached Iranian state media acknowledged the crash citing foreign reports but did not provide additional detailsThe conflict which intensified following US and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year has contributed to economic uncertainty rising energy prices and disruptions in global marketsTrump confirms pilots were unharmedSpeaking to reporters at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York after attending the NBA Finals Trump confirmed that the helicopter crew members were safeThe pilots are fine Nobody was injured Trump said adding that an official report on the incident would be released soonAccording to a report by The New York Times the aircraft involved was a US Army Apache attack helicopter Neither the US Central Command nor the Pentagon immediately responded to requests for commentApache helicopters have played a significant role in US military operations in the region They have been deployed in efforts to enforce restrictions on Iranian oil shipments and have also been used by regional allies to counter drone threatsTrump expresses optimism about Iran negotiationsDespite the ongoing tensions Trump suggested that diplomatic progress with Iran could be possible in the coming daysWe have a good chance of reaching an agreement within two or three days he told reporters although he did not provide specifics regarding the negotiationsTrump reiterated that a military option remains available but argued that a diplomatic solution would be preferable to further escalationIf we continue bombing many people could be killed Nobody wants that he saidNegotiators have been working for weeks to bridge major differences between Washington and Tehran The United States is seeking limits on Irans enriched uranium stockpile while Iran has demanded sanctions relief and access to frozen financial assets before any final agreement is reachedStalemate persists over key demandsDiplomatic efforts remain complicated by deep disagreements between the two sides Washington continues to insist on restrictions related to Irans nuclear programme while Tehran maintains that economic concessions must accompany any dealAnalysts say these differences have slowed progress despite repeated statements from both sides suggesting that negotiations are ongoingIsrael issues fresh evacuation warning in LebanonSeparately the Israeli military issued a new evacuation warning for residents of Tyre a major port city in southern LebanonThe warning included parts of the city that had previously been spared from extensive military operations Israeli officials said they believed members of Hezbollah were operating in some neighbourhoodsIn recent weeks many civilians displaced by fighting elsewhere in southern Lebanon had sought refuge in these areas The Lebanese army had deployed forces to parts of Tyre in an effort to demonstrate that armed groups were not present thereHowever Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the military could take action if it determined that Hezbollah activities were continuing in the area raising concerns about a further expansion of military operations in LebanonWith inputs from AP