All six crew members aboard a United States military refuelling aircraft have now been confirmed dead after their plane crashed in western Iraq, according to a statement released by United States Central Command (Centcom).
Initially, the US military had reported that four of the crew members had been located. However, after an extended search operation, authorities confirmed that all six personnel on board the aircraft had died in the crash.
Centcom said there was no evidence that hostile action or friendly fire contributed to the loss of the aircraft, a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker that went down on Thursday.
The aircraft had been taking part in ongoing US military operations connected to the conflict involving Iran. It was one of two aircraft participating in the mission at the time of the incident, while the second aircraft managed to land safely without any reported problems.
The KC-135 aircraft, produced by Boeing, is designed to refuel other aircraft while in flight. This capability makes it a vital component of US military aviation, allowing fighter jets and bombers to remain airborne for longer periods and operate across greater distances.
These aircraft have historically played a critical role in major US military operations, including during the Gulf War, where they were widely used to extend the operational range of combat aircraft.
According to Centcom, the crash occurred at approximately 14:00 Eastern Time (19:00 GMT) on Thursday. Military officials said an investigation has been launched to determine the exact circumstances that led to the incident.
Following the crash, US forces initiated a search-and-rescue mission in an effort to locate the two crew members who had initially been unaccounted for.
Centcom also noted that the identities of the personnel killed in the crash would be withheld for 24 hours. This delay is intended to allow time for the US military to inform the victims’ next of kin before releasing their names publicly.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Dan Caine said the aircraft had gone down while the crew was conducting a combat mission.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth paid tribute to the crew members, describing them as “American heroes.” He said their sacrifice would only strengthen the determination of the United States to continue its mission.
A KC-135 aircraft normally carries a crew of at least three personnel: a pilot, a co-pilot, and a boom operator responsible for managing the refuelling arm that transfers fuel to other aircraft mid-flight.
Earlier reports from Centcom indicated that the crash occurred over what the US military described as friendly airspace. However, the area of western Iraq where the aircraft went down is known to host several militias aligned with Iran.
Iran’s military later claimed during a broadcast on state television that one of its allied armed groups had targeted the aircraft using a missile. The US military has not confirmed that claim.
The crash on Thursday has raised the official US military death toll in the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran to 13 since the war began approximately two weeks ago.
The incident also marks the loss of at least four US military aircraft since the start of the current war.
Earlier in the month, three McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle fighter jets were shot down in what officials described as an apparent friendly-fire incident over Kuwait. Despite the loss of those aircraft, all six crew members involved in that event were able to eject safely.
The KC-135 Stratotanker itself was originally developed for the US military by Boeing during the 1950s and early 1960s.
Over the decades, it has become one of the most important aircraft in the US Air Force’s aerial refuelling fleet, enabling combat aircraft to conduct extended missions without needing to land for fuel.
Meanwhile, the conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate.
On Friday, Israel Defense Forces announced that it had launched a new “wide-scale wave of strikes” targeting Iranian infrastructure in and around Tehran.
Soon after the announcement, reports emerged of explosions occurring in and near the Iranian capital.
The developments come shortly after the United States decided to ease sanctions on other countries purchasing Russian oil that had already been loaded onto tankers at sea. The move was intended to soften the economic shock created by the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran.
Global oil markets have reacted sharply to the growing tensions. Prices surged above $100 (£75) per barrel again on Thursday, while stock markets dropped after three additional cargo vessels were struck in the Persian Gulf.
At the same time, Iran’s newly installed supreme leader has vowed to continue blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route through which a large portion of the world’s oil supply passes.
Donald Trump has suggested that the conflict could end “very soon” as oil prices surge, though he also warned that the United States could escalate its actions if necessary.
In a separate development, the French military reported on Friday that a drone strike had killed a French soldier and wounded six others at a Kurdish military base in northern Iraq.
The victim was identified as Staff Sergeant Arnaud Frion.
According to the French military, the troops had been stationed at the base as part of a mission to train Iraqi security forces.
