TRUMP: ‘IRAN WILL HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE’: Over a period of about four hours, beginning at 5 p.m. Washington time, U.S. warplanes bombed Iranian air defenses, ground-control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz in response to Monday’s downing of a U.S. Apache attack helicopter, in which two Army pilots were subsequently safely rescued by a sea drone.
After initially telling the Wall Street Journal the incident was “no big deal,” and earlier urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from retaliating to Iranian attacks over the weekend, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that “the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”
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“U.S. Central Command forces completed self-defense strikes against Iran, June 9, at the Commander in Chief’s direction,” CENTCOM said in a statement, calling the action “a proportional response to recent attacks on U.S. forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters.”
Trump’s change of heart reportedly came on the advice of War Secretary Pete Hegseth and U.S. Central Commander Adm. Brad Cooper.
US SAYS IT HAS COMPLETED STRIKES ON IRAN IN RESPONSE TO APACHE SHOOTDOWN
A HISTORY-MAKING RESCUE: In announcing the Monday rescue of the two downed pilots, the day after the shootdown, the U.S. Central Command gave only the sparest details of the operation, noting the soldiers “were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition.”
It did note that the operation had “support” from the U.S. 5th Fleet’s Task Force 59, based in Bahrain. But you would have had to know that Task Force 59 is the Navy’s first dedicated unit for integrating unmanned systems and artificial intelligence into everyday maritime operations to put two and two together and realize that an uncrewed vessel actually carried out the rescue.
The two soldiers bobbed in the water as darkness fell for the two hours it took the 24-foot Saronic Corsair to reach them, while MQ-9 Reaper drones and jet fighters provided cover overhead, according to CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins, who told the Wall Street Journal, “We’ve practiced this scenario in exercises, but not quite necessarily like this.”
The Corsair, made by Austin-based Saronic Technologies, has a range of more than 1,000 miles and can carry 1,000 pounds. The vessel transported the crew to safer waters, where they were hoisted onto a helicopter, according to Hawkins.
US NAVAL DRONE RESCUED TWO PILOTS AFTER HELICOPTER CRASH NEAR STRAIT OF HORMUZ
IRAN STRIKES BACK: Citing its “inherent right to self-defense,” Iran launched a series of retaliatory strikes at countries where U.S. troops are based, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.
“Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X. “To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave. We prefer language of diplomacy but speak other languages too.”
The exchange of hostile fire has raised questions about the status of the so-called ceasefire in effect and the future of the interim peace deal, which President Trump said, earlier this week, could be signed in days, but which Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with CBS Sunday morning, “could happen in the next week” or “months from now.”
“It was completely right to go after Iran,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), a member of the Intelligence Committee, said on CNN. “We should crush Iran. They’re an enemy of the United States of America”
“But the big issues that were on the table, the nuclear question, the ballistic missile question, the drone issue, and of course the terrorist financing issue, not a lot of conversation about any of those,” said Gottheimer. “The discussion … is about the Straits of Hormuz, which wasn’t on the table when we started this conflict.”
“It’s very clear that he didn’t think this was going to take as long as it did. He thought there could be a magic unicorn strike that would finish everything,” former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) said on CNN. “But now we’re in it … We are where we are now. And this president has got to make a determination. If he walks away with his tail tucked between his legs, it’s going to be terrible for the United States.”
WHERE DOES TRUMP GO FROM HERE AFTER IRAN’S APACHE ATTACK?
Good Wednesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com.
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HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to travel to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, to “engage with troops,” according to the Pentagon.
MEANWHILE IN UKRAINE: As Russia continues to pummel Ukraine with its long-range missile and drone capabilities, Ukraine is slowly strangling the supply lines to Russian forces in Crimea. Ukraine’s drones now have the capability to hit a land corridor that runs through the occupied east, and the result has been that the main road, M-14, has become a “highway of death,” forcing Russia to restrict traffic on the road and search for back roads to avoid the constant aerial threat.
Ukraine’s top drone commander, Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, whose unit is nicknamed “Magyar’s Birds,” posted on X that “Traffic along this route has already dropped by 71% over the past two weeks.” Magyar also says that the Russian military command of the Eastern Grouping of Forces issued a decree on June 6 prohibiting military cargo traffic along the M-14 between Rostov and Crimea.”
“This reported restriction follows Russian occupation officials‘ earlier restrictions against commercial passenger transport vehicles’ use of the M-14 highway and the section of the Belgorod City-Mariupol (R-150) highway that runs through occupied Luhansk Oblast,” the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said in its latest war update.
“Ukraine’s expanding intermediate-range strike campaign against Russia’s major ground lines of communication and against railway infrastructure in occupied Ukraine since Spring 2026 are disrupting Russia’s military logistics and are very likely degrading sustainment for Russian front line forces — an effect which will likely continue to mature in the near future or until Russian forces develop countermeasures.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine is also using its homegrown Flamingo missiles to strike deep into Russian territory. The latest attack targeted a military factory supplying the Russian army with components for drones and missiles.
“We continue to apply Ukrainian long-range sanctions against Russian military facilities and the oil industry. In particular, last night, Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingos struck a military plant in Cheboksary,” Zelensky said on X. “The distance from the frontline is more than 900 kilometers.”
READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: US says it has completed strikes on Iran in response to Apache shootdown
Washington Examiner: US naval drone rescued two pilots after helicopter crash near Strait of Hormuz
Washington Examiner: Where does Trump go from here after Iran’s Apache attack?
Washington Examiner: Iran blames US for country’s World Cup tickets being revoked
Washington Examiner: Lindsey Graham wins GOP primary for another Senate term in South Carolina
Washington Examiner: House GOP passes immigration enforcement funding bill
Washington Examiner: Homan: ‘More ICE agents than you’ve ever seen’ headed to Mamdani’s NYC
New York Times: U.S. and Iran Zero In on Four Nuclear Issues in Talks
AP: Netanyahu and Trump are at odds over the war they started together
CBS News: Vance: Iran deal could happen in a week or months from now — but “absolutely” before midterms
Breaking Defense: In Memo to CENTCOM Leaders, Cooper Warns of Duty to Protect Civilians
CNN: Inside Hegseth’s Pentagon, where distrust and suspicions of loyalty are rampant
The War Zone: Inside Ukraine’s AI-Enabled Drone Campaign Targeting Russian Logistics Deep Behind the Lines
Kyiv Independent: Russian military official killed in car bombing outside Moscow, media reports
Wall Street Journal: Why Does It Take Years to Get a Patriot Missile From Factory to Front Line?
The Hill: Collins, McConnell: ‘Safe to Conclude’ Third Reconciliation Bill Not Happening
Wall Street Journal: Taiwan Test-Fires U.S.-Supplied Missile Launcher Toward China
New York Times: Germany Drops Plan to Build Warplane With Allies, Hindering Push to Rearm
Defense News: After FCAS Demise, Germany’s Options Include Ordering More F-35 Warplanes
Aviation Week: Airbus Unveils Ravenstorm CCA Concept in Berlin
Defense News: Putin Offers Su-57 to India as New Delhi Faces Stealth Fighter Gap
New York Times: Fired Navy Admiral Advances to Democratic Runoff in South Carolina House Race
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Wilsbach: KC-135s Damaged in Epic Fury Will Return to Service, Some Will Take ‘Year or Two’
DefenseScoop: Pentagon Approves Long-Range, Autonomous Counter-UAS System for Use Across the Military After Border Testing
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Space Force Picks Intelsat, Viasat for Protected SATCOM Program
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Military-Specific AI Tools Aim to Ease Admin Workload
Air & Space Forces Magazine: AFSOC’s Skyraider Demos New Sensors, Gains Favor in Congress
Defense One: What If the A-10 Had AI & Electronic Warfare Gear?
The Atlantic: Being Black in Pete Hegseth’s Military
THE CALENDAR:
WEDNESDAY | JUNE 10
9 a.m. 232-A Russel — Senate Armed Services Committee CLOSED markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027 http://www.armed-services.senate.gov
10 a.m. 2359 Rayburn — House Appropriations Committee markup of the FY2027 Homeland Security bill nhttp://appropriations.house.gov
12 p.m. —The Association of the U.S. Army virtual discussion of a new report, “The American Edge: The Military Tech Nexus and the Sources of Great Power Dominance,” with author Seth Jones, president, Center for Strategic and International Studies Defense and Security Department https://www.ausa.org/events/noon-report/the-american-edge
8 p.m. —Jews United for Democracy and Justice virtual discussion: “American Power at the Crossroads: Confronting China and a Fragmenting World,” with Josh Rogin, lead global security analyst for Washington Post Intelligence; and Larry Mantle, host of “AirTalk with Larry Mantle” https://www.jewsunitedfordemocracy.org/blog/event
THURSDAY | JUNE 11
9 a.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual CNAS National Security Conference, with Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA); Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE); and Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO); Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA); Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ); Swedish Ambassador to the U.S. Urban Ahlin; Danish Ambassador to the U.S. Jesper Meller Serensen; European Union Ambassador to the U.S. Jovita Neliupsiene; and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. https://events.cnas.org/cnas2026conferencevirtual
9 a.m. 232-A Russell — Senate Armed Services Committee CLOSED markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027. http://www.armed-services.senate.gov
9 a.m. H-140, U.S. Capitol — House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee CLOSED markup of the FY2027 Defense bill. http://appropriations.house.gov
9 a.m. 1001 16th St. NW — Center for a New American Security 2026 National Security Conference: “New Rules” https://events.cnas.org/cnasconference2026newrules
2:25 p.m.— Georgetown University Center for Intercultural Education and Development virtual discussion: “On Character: Choices That Define a Life,” with former U.S. and International Security Assistant Forces Afghanistan Commander retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, former commander, Joint Special Operations Command; and Sam Potolicchio, G.U.professor of government, leadership and political communications https://events.georgetown.edu/event
9:30 a.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW — Henry L. Stimson Center discussion: “The Future of American Airpower,” with Dan Grazier, director, Stimson National Security Reform Program; and Kelly Grieco, senior fellow, Stimson Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy Program https://www.stimson.org/event/the-future-of-american-airpower
10 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “Growing the Defense Industrial Base,” with James Mismash, deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial base growth; and Nadia Schadlow, Hudson Institute senior fellow https://www.hudson.org/events/growing-dib-conversation
11 a.m.1763 N St. NW — Middle East Institute discussion: “Lebanon: Between War and Diplomacy,” with Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Haneen Sayed https://middleeastinstitute.my.site.com/Registration
3 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “Saving Ukrainian Children,” with Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Olga Stefanishyna; and Maksym Maksymov, head of Bring Kids Back UA https://www.hudson.org/events/saving-ukrainian-children
FRIDAY | JUNE 12
12 p.m. —Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion of a new report:”Solid Rocket Motors for Missile Defense: Challenges and Opportunities for Expanding the Industrial Base,” with Tom Karako, director, CSIS Missile Defense Project; Christine Michienzi, nonresident senior associate, CSIS Missile Defense Project; and Wes Rumbaugh, fellow, CSIS Missile Defense Project https://www.csis.org/events/report-rollout-solid-rocket-motors-missile-defense
4:30 p.m. 1400 L St. NW — Atlantic Council book discussion: “Privileged but Powerless: How North Korean Elite Grievances Reveal the Regime’s Greatest Weakness,” with author Jieun Baek, nonresident senior fellow, Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Indo-Pacific Security Initiative; and Kelley Currie, nonresident senior fellow, Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Indo-Pacific Security Initiative and the Atlantic Council’s Freedom and Prosperity Center https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/privileged-but-powerless
