An American refueling plane (Stratotanker) crashed on Thursday in western Iraq, announced the US military command for the Middle East (CENTCOM), stating that the loss of this KC-135 plane “was not caused by hostile or friendly fire”, AFP and Reuters write.
“Rescue operations are ongoing,” CENTCOM added in a statement, adding that another plane involved was able to land safely.
“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury,” the CENTCOM statement said, using the military name for the US operation against Iran.
US Central Command is aware of the loss of a US KC-135 refueling aircraft. The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the…
— US Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 12, 2026
No details were given on the number of people on board the plane, nor on their current condition.
“More information will be provided as the situation evolves,” assured CENTCOM, which asked for “patience” until “clarifications are collected and provided to the families of the military” involved.
A US official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the other plane involved in the incident was also a KC-135, and the crashed aircraft had six military service members on board.
According to CBS News, the other aircraft involved in the crash of a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker tonight over Western Iraq was another KC-135, with the tanker that went down in Iraq carrying a total of six servicemembers, while the other tanker was able to safely return to… pic.twitter.com/JgP6LiOirh
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 12, 2026
The crash of the KC-135 is the fourth loss of a US aircraft since the start of the war against Iran, after three F-15 fighter jets were accidentally shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait.
With a length of 41.5 meters and a wingspan of almost 40 meters, the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is powered by four jet engines and has a payload capacity of more than 38 tons, depending on its configuration.
The KC-135, built in the 1950s and early 1960s, served as the backbone of the US military's aerial refueling fleet and is essential for combat aircraft to complete missions without having to land.
The United States has deployed a large number of military aircraft to the Middle East to participate in the “Epic Fury” operation against Iran, and the new incident highlights the risk of operations, even in the airspace of partner countries.
Since February 28, since the joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran began, seven US soldiers have been killed.
The United States has carried out strikes on more than 6,000 targets in Iran.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that up to 150 US soldiers were injured in the US-Israeli war against Iran.
News of the crash of this Stratotanker came on the same day that two US sailors were injured after an unrelated fire broke out aboard the warship USS Gerald Ford, the largest US military aircraft carrier.
To date, the war has killed more than 2,000 people, including nearly 700 in Lebanon.
