Cheap Iranian drone downed $25 million US Army helicopter—maybe by chance

A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter was reportedly downed near the Strait of Hormuz, following an encounter with an Iranian Shahed drone. Initial reports suggest that it remains uncertain whether the drone's strike was intentional or merely coincidental. The incident, which occurred on June 8, was first highlighted by Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, citing comments from an unnamed U.S. government official. Subsequent confirmation from The New York Times revealed that U.S. military officials are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the drone's attack on the helicopter. Since the onset of hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran on February 28, 2026, Iranian forces have launched thousands of Shahed drones, targeting a variety of military and civilian structures across the Gulf region. Notably, these drones have primarily been used against stationary targets, such as data centers and energy facilities, and have occasionally struck slower commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, these basic Shahed drone models are typically guided by GPS and programmed for stationary targets, lacking the capability to effectively track moving objects. However, he speculated that Iran might possess upgraded versions of the Shahed drones, modified by Russia, which could allow for remote operation and targeting of dynamic threats.