WASHINGTON — A U.S. military refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday during operations against Iran, an incident confirmed by reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, BBC, and CBS News. U.S. Central Command stated that the crash involved another aircraft but was not the result of hostile fire, even as an Iran-backed group claimed responsibility for the downing.
- A U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq on Thursday during ‘Operation Epic Fury.’
- U.S. Central Command confirmed that rescue efforts are currently underway for the crew.
- A second KC-135 aircraft involved in the incident landed safely in friendly territory.
- The crash occurred in friendly airspace and was not the result of hostile or friendly fire, according to preliminary military assessments.
Conflicting Claims and Investigation
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group for Iran-backed factions, issued a statement claiming they had successfully shot down the aircraft in defense of Iraqi sovereignty. However, U.S. officials speaking to Reuters and CBS News maintain that the incident appears to have been a mid-air involvement between two U.S. refueling planes rather than an enemy engagement.
The KC-135 Stratotanker, a Boeing-built aircraft dating back to the 1950s, remains the backbone of the U.S. air refueling fleet. The specific aircraft that crashed was reported to have up to six service members on board. The incident comes amid heightened tensions and over 6,000 U.S. strikes against targets in Iran since late February.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the situation. The crash follows a series of incidents in the region, including a deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school which the U.S. military suggests may have been hit in error due to outdated intelligence.
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Visual selection: ILLUSTRATION. Hedra Prompt: KC-135 refueling aircraft in dramatic sunset sky over desert, oil painting style. (Artificial Intelligence generated image / EOBS.biz)