US Says KC-135 Crash Not From Hostile Fire; Iranian Proxy Claims Responsibility

U.S. Central Command says a KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq during operations tied to the Iran campaign, and that four of the six crew members have been confirmed dead while rescue efforts continue for the remaining two.

“US confirms four dead in KC-135 crash US Central Command said on March 13 that four of the six crew members aboard the KC-135 have now been confirmed dead, while rescue efforts continue for the remaining two”

AeroTime

CENTCOM described the loss as "not due to hostile or friendly fire" and characterized the plane as "a loss," while noting that two aircraft were involved and one landed safely.

AeroTime

The military is withholding the identities of the deceased service members until 24 hours after families have been notified.

The aircraft involved was a KC-135 Stratotanker, a long-serving aerial refueling platform that entered service more than 60 years ago; the type is routinely used to refuel fighters and other aircraft in midair and can also carry cargo or evacuees.

Reports note the KC-135 fleet remains large but aging: the Air Force inventory includes hundreds of KC-135s across active duty, the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve, and experts have pointed to the aircraft's long service life as a reliability concern.

Associated Press News

Despite U.S. military statements denying hostile or friendly fire, an Iran-aligned armed group publicly claimed responsibility for downing the tanker, creating conflicting public accounts.

Reuters and other outlets reported that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella of Iran-backed factions, said it had shot down the aircraft, while U.S. officials and CENTCOM continue to say the loss was not caused by enemy action and have not corroborated the militia's claim.

Some reporting has suggested the loss may have resulted from a midair incident between the two tankers rather than hostile action: flight-tracking data shows a KC-135 broadcasting an emergency code and returning to Ben Gurion Airport, and photographs circulated online purport to show a KC-135 on the ground at Tel Aviv with part of its vertical stabilizer missing.

Defense sources cited by regional outlets have pointed to a possible accidental midair incident involving two tankers, and CENTCOM says the circumstances remain under investigation.

CNN International

The crash amplifies an already deadly and chaotic phase of the widening conflict with Iran: CENTCOM and multiple outlets note this tanker is the fourth U.S. aircraft publicly acknowledged to have been lost during the campaign, coming after last week's friendly-fire shootdown of three F-15Es in Kuwait.

“DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Four of the six crew members aboard a US KC‑135 refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq have been confirmed dead, the U”

FOX 5 DC

U.S. officials have tallied multiple American casualties since Operation Epic Fury began, and the Pentagon and White House officials have warned more American lives could be lost as the campaign continues.

FOX 5 DC