US EditionUS military confirms all six crew members dead after refueling plane crashed in Iraq
The KC-135 crash during Operation Epic Fury was not caused by hostile or friendly fire, raising concerns over aircraft reliability amid intense combat operations, CENTCOM said.
- On Thursday, March 12, 2026, a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, killing all six crew members, U.S. Central Command confirmed on Friday.
- The crash resulted from an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in friendly airspace, with the second plane landing safely; CENTCOM officials ruled out hostile or friendly fire as causes.
- Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iranian proxies, claimed responsibility for downing the aircraft "in defense of our country's sovereignty," though U.S. officials state there is no evidence supporting the claim.
- This incident marks the fourth U.S. military aircraft loss during Operation Epic Fury, immediately straining CENTCOM's mid-air refuelling capacity and reducing availability for sustained air operations against Iranian targets.
- The aging KC-135 fleet, in service for over 60 years, faces reliability concerns as the Air Force transitions to next-generation KC-46A Pegasus tankers to replace the outdated aircraft.
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The U.S. government confirmed on Friday, March 13, the death of six U.S. military personnel travelling on a tanker plane, transporting fuel and crashing west of Iraq. According to information, the aircraft is part of U.S. operations against Iran; however, the air crash was not a result of the conflict between the two nations.Six U.S. military personnel are confirmed dead in an air crash in IraqAmid the conflict in the Middle East, the U.S. Centr…
All 6 crew members on KC-135 refueling plane that crashed in Iraq are dead, bringing U.S. death toll to at least 13 service members
All six crew members of a KC-135 refueling aircraft that crashed while supporting operations against Iran are dead, the U.S. military said Friday. U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said the crash in western Iraq on Thursday followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace” and that the other plane landed safely. The crash brings the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service mem…
Blast rocks Tehran, US confirms all six crew members dead after crash
A large explosion rocks Iran's capital, where thousands had gathered for a rally to support Palestinians, while the US military confirms all six crew members who were onboard a refuelling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq have died. Follow live.
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