Four crew members have died after a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft operated by the United States Air Force crashed in western Iraq, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed.
According to the US military, the aircraft was carrying six crew members when it went down during operations linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
CENTCOM said four personnel were killed in the crash while rescue operations were still underway for the remaining crew members.
Incident Under Investigation
The military said the crash occurred at about 14:00 ET (19:00 GMT) on Thursday. Initial reports indicated that neither hostile nor friendly fire was involved in bringing down the aircraft.
The tanker had been part of ongoing US military operations in the region. Officials said it was flying alongside another aircraft, which landed safely.
CENTCOM added that the circumstances surrounding the crash are currently under investigation.
The KC-135 Stratotanker, manufactured by Boeing, is designed to refuel military aircraft in midair, enabling fighter jets and bombers to carry out long-range missions without landing.
The aircraft has been a key component of the US military’s aerial refuelling fleet since it was introduced in the 1950s, and it played a significant role during the Gulf War.
Although US officials initially said the crash occurred in friendly airspace, the area of western Iraq where the aircraft went down is known for the presence of pro-Iranian militias.
Iran’s military later claimed on state television that an allied group had targeted the aircraft with a missile.
The incident adds to a growing number of casualties linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Since the outbreak of the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, seven US soldiers have been confirmed killed, according to military reports.
The US military has also lost at least four aircraft during the fighting. Earlier this month, three F-15 fighter jet aircraft were reportedly shot down over Kuwait in what officials described as an apparent friendly-fire incident, although all six crew members safely ejected.
