Iran issues chilling threat of global war beyond Middle East – 'Americans will die'

Iranian Parliament National Security Committee head Azizi said: “We’re not afraid of fighting losers. The number of American casualties is already far higher than Trump confirms, and it will rise. This time, the war won’t be limited to the region. We’ll see what happens.”

This came after President Trump said Iran was taking “too long to negotiate a deal” and accused the Iranian leadership of being “all talk and no action” as he tries to bring the protracted peace process to a close. He wrote: “Iran’s Military is a complete and total mess. Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore – They have been completely defeated.

“Iran is all talk and no action. The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!! They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

The message from Mr Trump followed the downing of an American helicopter in the Gulf. A drone boat rescued the crew of a US Army attack helicopter that crashed early Tuesday near the Strait of Hormuz, a US official said. This was the first known drone rescue at sea by the US military, Captain Tim Hawkins said, a spokesman for US Central Command.

After the Iranian attack, Mr Trump warned of retaliation against Iran, and writing on Truth Social he sent the following message: “I have just been informed 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, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

According to US officials, Iran used a drone to launch the attack on the helicopter. The semi-official Mehr News Agency, however, reported that Iran had not claimed responsibility for the downed aircraft.

AH-64 Apache helicopters have been a key asset for the US military as it enforces a blockade on Iranian crude oil shipments and tankers, seeking to pressure Tehran into a deal.