All six crew members aboard a US military refuelling aircraft have been confirmed dead following a crash in western Iraq, US Central Command (Centcom) announced.
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker went down on Thursday during ongoing US operations against Iran.
Initial reports had identified four fatalities, with rescue operations continuing for the remaining two crew members before confirmation of their deaths.
Centcom said the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.
The incident involved two aircraft, with the second KC-135 landing safely.
The Stratotanker, first built in the 1950s, is a midair refuelling plane that allows US fighter jets and bombers to extend operational range, and has been a key part of US military operations since the first Gulf War.
The crash occurred at approximately 14:00 ET (19:00 GMT), and investigations into the cause are ongoing.
The identities of the crew have been withheld for 24 hours to allow notification of next of kin. Gen Dan Caine, chair of the US Joint Chiefs, described the crash as occurring “while the crew was on a combat mission,” while US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hailed the personnel as “American heroes” whose sacrifice strengthens the resolve of US forces.
The KC-135 typically operates with a crew that includes a pilot, co-pilot, and a boom operator responsible for controlling the refuelling system.
Centcom noted that the crash took place over friendly airspace, though the area has activity from pro-Iranian militias, and Iran’s military claimed that one of its allied groups had targeted the aircraft.
This latest crash brings the official US military death toll in the US-Israel conflict with Iran to 13 personnel, with at least four aircraft lost.
Earlier this month, three US F-15 jets were downed in Kuwait in what was described as a friendly fire incident; all six crew members ejected safely.
Separately, Israel announced a wide-scale strike on Iranian infrastructure near Tehran, following adjustments in US sanctions on Russian oil and petroleum shipments.
The strikes coincided with a surge in oil prices above $100 per barrel and growing tensions in the Gulf, where Iran continues to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping corridor.
France also reported a casualty, confirming that Staff Sgt Arnaud Frion was killed and six others wounded in northern Iraq at a Kurdish military base where French soldiers were training Iraqi forces.
The crash highlights the increasing risks faced by aircrews and the escalating military operations across Iraq and the wider Middle East, as US and allied forces continue missions targeting Iranian-backed groups and infrastructure.
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