The U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that at least four U.S. service members were killed when an aerial refuelling aircraft taking part in operations against Iran crashed in western Iraq.
In a statement issued on Friday, March 13, U.S. CENTCOM, which oversees the Middle East, confirmed the loss, stating that it occurred in a U.S. KC‑135 aircraft.
CENTCOM Confirms 4 Crew Members Killed in Iraq Plane Crash
The tanker had been involved in ongoing US operations against Iran, and was one of two aircraft involved in the incident. The second landed safely.
“At approximately 2 pm ET on March 12, a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq,” read the statement in part.
“Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue.”
It said earlier that two aircraft were involved in the incident and that one landed safely.
CETCOM stated that the circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
However, it noted that the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.
It noted that the identities of the service members are being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified.
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The Boeing-manufactured aircraft are capable of refuelling planes midair and typically play a major role in US military operations.
They were used extensively in the first Gulf War to extend the range of fighter jets and bombers.
The KC-135 usually has a crew of at least a pilot, a co-pilot and a boom operator responsible for controlling the refuelling arm of the aircraft, according to the US Air Force.
Since the outbreak of the US-Israel war with Iran, seven US soldiers have been confirmed as having been killed in the conflict.
The US military has now lost at least four aircraft during the current war, after three F-15E fighter jets were earlier shot down in a friendly-fire incident over Kuwait.
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Iran-US,Israel War
This comes as conflict across the Middle East has entered a second week after the US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran, killing the country’s supreme leader on 28 February.
The US and Israel first launched an attack on Iran on 28 February, targeting its missile infrastructure, military sites and leadership in the capital, Tehran, and across the country.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had led the country since 1989, was killed during the first wave of strikes. Israel’s military said dozens more senior figures in the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were also killed.
Following Khamenei’s death, on 8 March his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was appointed as his successor.
Iran has continued to respond by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, which have extended to non-military targets, including civilian sites and energy facilities.
The fighting has escalated quickly, spreading to Lebanon, with casualties and damage mounting on all sides.
