Emirates 24/7 — The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Thursday that four crew members were killed after a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq during a military mission. The aircraft was operating alongside a second tanker as part of "Operation Epic Fury," the Pentagon’s official designation for ongoing operations against Iran.
In a formal statement, the military clarified that the incident was "not due to hostile fire or friendly fire." The refueling aircraft went down in a sparsely populated desert area. While the second aircraft involved in the mission landed safely, search and recovery teams were deployed to the crash site. A U.S. official stated that authorities are still gathering specific details regarding the casualties as they work to provide clarity to the families of the service members involved.
The KC-135 Stratotanker serves as a critical "flying gas station," providing mid-air refueling capabilities that allow fighter jets to extend their operational range and maintain a persistent presence within battle zones.
This crash marks the fourth confirmed loss of U.S. aircraft in the current conflict with Iran. It follows a "friendly fire" incident last week in which three F-15E Strike Eagles were downed over Kuwait.