US EditionUS military confirms all six crew members dead after refueling plane crashed in Iraq
All six crew members aboard the KC-135 Stratotanker died in a crash during Operation Epic Fury; U.S. Central Command ruled out hostile or friendly fire as the cause.
- 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years, faces reliability concerns as the Air Force transitions to next-generation KC-46A Pegasus tankers to replace the outdated aircraft.
318 Articles
318 Articles
Local military leader calls for community support after KC-135 crash kills 6 US crew members
SPOKANE, Wash. — A retired Air Force colonel is calling on the Spokane community to rally around military families following Thursday's deadly KC-135 crash over western Iraq. US Central Command confirmed all six American crew members on board were killed. Colonel (Ret) Brian Newberry is the former commander of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing at
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 a U.S. refueling plane that crashed in Iraq are dead, U.S. military says
The U.S. military says a KC-135 refueling aircraft supporting operations against Iran crashed in western Iraq, killing all six crew members. U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in…
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…
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