Four US Crew Killed As Military Refuelling Plane Crashes In Iraq During Iran Operations — Death Toll Hits 11

Four members of a US military KC-135 refuelling aircraft have been killed after the plane crashed in western Iraq, bringing the total American death toll in the ongoing war with Iran to 11, US Central Command has confirmed.
The crash occurred at around 14:00 ET on Thursday during active US operations against Iran. A second aircraft involved in the same incident landed safely. Centcom said neither hostile nor friendly fire had caused the crash, though the circumstances remain under investigation. Iran’s military claimed on state television that an allied group had brought the plane down with a missile.
The KC-135 Stratotanker, built by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, is a cornerstone of US air operations, capable of refuelling fighter jets and bombers mid-flight to extend their range. The aircraft typically carries a crew of at least three — a pilot, co-pilot and a boom operator who controls the refuelling arm. Six crew members were on board at the time of the crash. Rescue efforts for the remaining two were still ongoing at the time of Centcom’s announcement.
The names of those killed are being withheld for 24 hours to allow next of kin to be informed first.
Centcom described the crash as occurring over friendly airspace, though western Iraq is an area where pro-Iranian militia groups are known to operate.
Thursday’s incident is the latest in a series of aircraft losses since the conflict began a fortnight ago. Earlier this month, three F-15 fighter jets were shot down in what officials described as an apparent friendly fire incident over Kuwait, though all six crew members ejected safely. The US military has now lost at least four aircraft in total since the war began.
The investigation into the cause of Thursday’s crash is ongoing.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​