Sky News presenter Matt Barbet halted this evening’s broadcast to deliver a breaking news announcement about US President Donald Trump. The broadcaster began: “Donald Trump has taken to Truth Social, informing everyone that Iran has shot down a US Apache helicopter. Just to quote what he has posted on social media, ‘I have just been informed,’ he says, ‘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.

“’There were two pilots involved,’ and he says both are safe and uninjured. ‘Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.’” The US leader signed off on the post, writing: “Thank you for your attention to this matter. President Donald J Trump.”

The helicopter went down as the Middle East was still fuming after Iran and Israel exchanged fire the previous day in a huge setback to the ceasefire of the Iran war, which started in February. According to Iranian television, Israeli forces killed at least two members of the country’s air defence units.

Sky News viewers were quick to comment on the breaking news announcement as the banner flashed across the screen. One penned on X: “WTF were the American Apache helicopters doing there anyway? Don’t start wars you can’t finish.”

Another said: “Trump’s ceasefire is holding up well. Is there anybody left still listening to him.”

Someone added: “Trump said he’d destroyed all of Iran’s air defences about 2 weeks into the war, and now they’re shooting down American Apache helicopters? What with?”

Meanwhile, a fourth penned: “The same Iranians that Trump claimed had no military weaponry left? That Iran?”

Military officials have said the crash is under investigation, but have not shared what caused the Apache helicopter to go down.

Trump said he had just learned Iran was behind the attack before posting his Truth Social allegation today (Tuesday, June 9).