The US Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected Iranian media claims of a Navy helicopter going down in the Red Sea. They put out a post on October 6, fact-checking the claims.
Iranian state media had claimed that a US Navy MH-60R helicopter crashed in the Red Sea after an emergency declaration. However, CENTCOM said that all military aircraft and personnel across the Middle East were safe and accounted for.
What did CENTCOM say about the helicopter?
The social media post stated “CLAIM: Iranian state media has been pushing false reports that a U.S. Navy MH-60R helicopter crashed in the Red Sea after declaring an emergency last night.” It added “FACT: Reports of a downed U.S. Navy helicopter in the Red Sea are not true. All U.S. military aircraft and personnel across the Middle East are safe and accounted for.”
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The clarification from CENTCOM comes amid the US-Iran conflict which began when President Donald Trump supported Israel in launching strikes across Iran on February 28, 2026.
CENTCOM’s current clarification comes after Iranian state outlets, including Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), claimed an American naval aircraft went down. IRIB had earlier reported that a US Navy aircraft which was operating over the Red Sea transmitted squawk code 7700, the international aviation transponder signal used to broadcast general emergencies.
“An MH-60R helicopter belonging to the U.S. Navy crashed in the Red Sea after declaring emergency code 7700,” they had claimed.
Lost 81 planes, drones, helicopters worth $3.3 billion: Report
CENTCOM’s denial of a helicopter crashing comes amid reports of the US having lost 81 planes, drones and helicopters worth $3.3 billion in the Iran war.
A Congressional Research Service report noted that losses included one damaged F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter and 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighters, which had been damaged or destroyed.
While three F-15 jets, worth more than $30 million each, were shot down in friendly fire over Kuwait on March 2, another was shot down over Iran in the next month. The report noted that eight other F-15Es sustained minor damage as well during Iran’s airstrikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, in Jordan, which took place on September 9 and 10.
At least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones were also reportedly lost during the Iran war, and they were between $30 and $50 million, each.