A US KC‑135 aerial refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, killing four of its six crew members, the US military said on Friday, adding that the incident was not caused by “hostile fire.”
The crash occurred at 2:00 pm Eastern Time (1900 GMT), while a second plane involved in the operation landed safely, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American forces in the Middle East.
“Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue,” CENTCOM said in a statement on X, adding that an investigation is underway. “The loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”
The deaths bring the total number of US service members killed in the ongoing conflict with Iran to at least 11.
Earlier, Iran’s military claimed that an allied group in Iraq had downed the KC‑135 with a missile, killing all its crew. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-backed Iraqi factions, also claimed responsibility, stating it targeted a second plane that escaped.
Since the start of the Middle East war, the alliance has regularly claimed attacks on US interests in Iraq and the region but rarely identifies its specific targets.
The KC‑135, which has been in service for more than 60 years, typically operates with a crew of three — a pilot, a copilot, and a boom operator who refuels other aircraft. Some missions, however, require a navigator, and the aircraft can carry up to 37 passengers, according to an Air Force factsheet.
This incident marks at least the fourth US military aircraft lost since the war began on February 28. Earlier, three F-15E fighters were mistakenly shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait, though all six crew members ejected safely. That attack occurred amid combat operations involving Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones.
