NPR News: 06-09-2026 6PM EDT

Ryland Barton· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. The US says it has begun launching self-defense strikes against Iran. According to a statement from US Central Command, it's in response to yesterday's downing of an Army Apache helicopter and, quote, "The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression." Iran has not claimed responsibility for the helicopter attack. The helicopter crashed while patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, and its two crew members were rescued by a sea drone, the first time such an operation has been carried out by the US military, as NPR's Cat Lohnsdorf reports.

Cat Lohnsdorf0:34

The two US Army soldiers were flying an Apache helicopter off the coast of Oman overnight when it crashed into the sea, according to a statement from US Central Command. Centcom spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins told NPR the pair were later rescued by a twenty-four foot-long unmanned drone boat operated by a special department called Task Force Fifty-Nine. The drone, quote, "picked up" the two soldiers, who are in stable condition, and transported them to another location in the water, where they were then hoisted into a helicopter and flown to safety. Cat Lohnsdorf, NPR News, Washington.

Ryland Barton· Host1:06

The House passed a seventy billion dollar bill for immigration enforcement tonight. That's enough to fund Homeland Security agencies for the rest of President Trump's term. The bill now goes to Trump to be signed into law. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries says the money will further fund Trum- Trump's, quote, "violent mass deportation machine." Republicans say they are safeguarding the nation. The funding comes on top of nearly a hundred and forty billion dollars that