A United States Air Force KC-135 refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during a mission linked to the ongoing military campaign against Iran, leaving at least four crew members dead, according to US military officials.
The tanker aircraft went down on Thursday while supporting operations in the region. The crash occurred as the US-Israel military campaign against Iran entered its 14th day, with tensions continuing to rise across the Middle East.
Officials confirmed that the aircraft had multiple crew members onboard at the time of the incident. A US official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said at least five crew members were aboard the KC-135 when the crash occurred.
Despite the fatal accident, military authorities said there was no evidence that hostile fire or friendly fire caused the crash.
Iran US-Israel War Latest News: US Central Command Confirms Incident of US KC-135
The US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, confirmed that two aircraft were involved in the incident.
According to the command, one aircraft landed safely while the other crashed in western Iraq.
“More information will be made available as the situation develops,” Central Command said. “We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members.”
Officials also described the aircraft as “a loss”, indicating that the tanker was destroyed in the crash. Another US official said the second aircraft involved in the incident was also a KC-135 refuelling tanker.
Search and recovery teams were deployed to the crash site as investigators began examining the circumstances that led to the accident.
US KC-135 Crash: Fourth Aircraft Loss During Iran War Operations
The tanker crash marks the fourth aircraft loss publicly acknowledged by the United States during the conflict with Iran.
Just days earlier, three American fighter jets were reportedly mistakenly shot down by friendly Kuwaiti fire during operations linked to the same conflict.
In that incident, all six crew members aboard the F-15E Strike Eagle jets managed to eject safely and were later recovered in stable condition.
However, the KC-135 crash appears to be the first aircraft incident during the conflict that resulted in fatalities among US aircrew.
US KC-135 Down: Rising Casualties Among US Forces
The latest accident comes as American military casualties in the Iran conflict continue to rise.
According to Pentagon figures released earlier this week, seven US service members have been killed in combat so far, while around 140 American troops have been injured, including eight who suffered severe injuries.
Six of the fallen service members died when an Iranian drone struck an operations centre at a civilian port in Kuwait. The troops were members of the US Army Reserve who worked in logistics operations supporting military forces in the region.
The seventh service member later died from injuries sustained during a March 1 attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
US leaders, including President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, have warned that the conflict could continue to claim more American lives before it ends.
Iran US-Israel War Latest News: KC-135 Stratotanker: A Long-Serving Refuelling Aircraft
The aircraft involved in the crash was a KC-135 Stratotanker, one of the US Air Force’s primary aerial refuelling platforms.
The tanker aircraft is based on the design of the Boeing 707 passenger airliner and has served in the US military for more than six decades. Over the years, the aircraft has undergone multiple upgrades and modifications to keep it operational.
KC-135 tankers play a crucial role in modern air warfare by refuelling fighter jets, bombers and surveillance aircraft while they are in flight, allowing them to stay airborne for longer missions.
Although the aircraft normally operates with a crew of three, officials said it was not immediately clear why additional crew members were on board during this particular mission.
According to the Congressional Research Service, the US Air Force maintained 376 KC-135 aircraft in its fleet last year, including 151 active-duty aircraft, 163 in the Air National Guard, and 62 in the Air Force Reserve.
As investigators continue to study the crash, the incident highlights the operational risks faced by military crews during extended combat missions in the region.
