All six members of a US military refuelling aircraft’s crew have now been confirmed dead after it crashed in western Iraq, US Central Command (Centcom) announced, as reported by the BBC. This is just awful news, especially considering the initial claims of “friendly airspace” that are now crumbling under the weight of new information.
The incident involved a KC-135 aircraft. Centcom initially stated that neither hostile nor friendly fire was involved in the loss of the plane. However, this region of Iraq is known for operating pro-Iranian militias, which puts a very different spin on things. In fact, Iran’s military even claimed on state TV that an allied group had targeted the plane with a missile. This stark contradiction between initial US statements and the reality on the ground is certainly concerning.
General Dan Caine, chair of the US Joint Chiefs, confirmed on Friday that the plane had crashed “while the crew was on a combat mission.” The tanker had been involved in ongoing US operations against Iran and was one of two aircraft involved in the incident, with the second landing safely. A search and rescue operation was launched to locate the remaining two crew members after four were initially found.
Centcom also mentioned that the identities of the personnel killed would be withheld for 24 hours to allow for notification of their next of kin
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hailed the aircraft’s crew members as “American heroes,” stressing that their “sacrifice will only recommit us to the resolve of this mission.” The KC-135, a Boeing-manufactured Stratotanker, is a truly vital piece of kit for the US military. These planes are capable of refuelling others mid-air, playing a massive role in extending the range of fighter jets and bombers, just like they did extensively in the first Gulf War.
It’s been a backbone of the US military’s air refuelling fleet since the 1950s and early 1960s, allowing combat aircraft to carry out longer missions without needing to land. A typical KC-135 usually has a crew of at least a pilot, a co-pilot, and a boom operator responsible for controlling the refuelling arm.
This tragic crash brings the official US military death toll in the US-Israel war with Iran, which only began a fortnight ago, to 13. It also marks the loss of at least four US aircraft during the current conflict. Earlier this month, three F-15s were shot down in “an apparent friendly fire incident” over Kuwait, though thankfully all six crew members in that instance were able to safely eject.
President Trump has indicated that the war could end “very soon” since the price of oil shot up, while also suggesting the US could “go further.” Separately, France’s military announced on Friday that a drone had killed a French soldier, identified as Staff Sgt Arnaud Frion, and wounded six others at a Kurdish military base in northern Iraq yesterday. These soldiers had been stationed at the base to train Iraqi units.
Published: Mar 13, 2026 05:15 pm