A U.S. military KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq on Thursday, prompting ongoing rescue operations, U.S. Central Command said.
The crash occurred during Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-led campaign targeting Iran. Officials confirmed the incident was not caused by enemy fire or friendly fire.
Central Command said two aircraft were involved in the mission. While one plane landed safely, the other was lost. “The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,” the military stated.
A U.S. official told the Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity, that the downed KC-135 had at least five crew members aboard. Details on casualties have not been confirmed.
Ongoing rescue efforts
The U.S. military is carrying out rescue operations to recover the crew. Central Command said, “More information will be made available as the situation develops. We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members.”
The second KC-135 involved in the operation successfully landed in Israel, according to CBS News.
The Stratotanker is critical for U.S. operations, providing refueling support for Air Force, Navy, and Marine aircraft. “It has excelled in this role for more than 60 years,” an Air Force webpage notes.
Patterns of aircraft losses
This KC-135 is the fourth U.S. aircraft publicly reported lost in the campaign against Iran since February 28. Earlier this month, three U.S. F-15E fighter jets were accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses. All six crew members ejected safely and were later recovered in stable condition.
So far, seven US troops have been killed in the ongoing conflict, with about 140 wounded, including eight severely, according to the Pentagon. Six of the fallen were Army Reserve personnel killed when an Iranian drone struck a logistics operations center in Kuwait. The seventh died after injuries sustained in a March 1 attack on Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Airbase.
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