An American KC-135 aircraft crashed in Iraq while taking part in Operation Epic Fury — with officials indicating that at least five US service members were on board. The incident on Thursday night is the fourth publicly acknowledged US aircraft to crash since it joined Israel to attack Iran two weeks ago. An Iraqi group has claimed responsibility for downing the plane while the military insisted in a statement that the crash was ‘not due to hostile or friendly fire’.
“US Central Command is aware of the loss of a US KC-135 refuelling aircraft. The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely,” read an official statement.
According to a Reuters update, the Islamic Resistance has claimed responsibility for downing the plane in Western Iraq. The umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions said in a statement it had shot down the KC-135 aircraft “in defense of our country’s sovereignty and airspace”.
What is a KC-135 aircraft?
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is a ‘flying gas station’ that has been used for decades to provide mid-air refuelling services. It forms the backbone of the United States Air Force aerial refuelling fleet.
The KC-135 tanker involved in the latest crash is based on the same design as the Boeing 707 airliner and entered military service more than 60 years ago. Like other long-serving aircraft, the planes have undergone various retrofits and upgrades over the years. The KC-135 tankers typically have a crew of three. It’s not immediately clear what role the extra crew members were serving aboard the flight.
According to a report from the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force last year had a total of 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve.Officials told AP that the other plane involved was also a KC-135 tanker.
Fourth US plane crash in less than 2 weeks of war
The US military has now suffered four publicly acknowledged crashes within a matter of days — insisting in each case that the cause was not an Iranian attack. Officials said last week that three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly fire from Kuwait. All six crew members had ejected safely from the F-15E Strike Eagles and were in stable condition after recovery.
Seven American troops have been killed in combat during the Iran war so far, while about 140 U.S. service members have been injured, including eight severely, the Pentagon said earlier this week. Both President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have warned that the Iran war would likely claim more American lives before it ends.