Tensions between the US and Iran have heightened after Tehran downed a US Apache helicopter. This incident occurred despite President Trump's claims of an imminent ceasefire and ongoing efforts to increase air patrols in the Gulf of Oman.

In a week that began with President Trump pronouncing that a ceasefire extension was so close with Iran, two or three days max, and that would only take an hour to finalise. Hours later Tehran downed a US Apache helicopter off the Gulf of Oman with the crew rescued from the sea, the attack reportedly an attempt to deter the US’s evolving efforts to increase air patrols that target Iranian drones in order to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.