A US military refueling aircraft went down in Iraq
U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Mary Greenwood
- A KC-135 refueling aircraft "went down" in Iraq, the US military announced Thursday evening.
- A second unidentified aircraft was involved but landed safely.
- Four of six crew members have been confirmed deceased in the crash, the military shared Friday.
The US military said on Friday that four crew members are confirmed deceased after their KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq on Thursday.
Rescue efforts are still ongoing for two remaining crew members who were aboard the aircraft when it crashed, US Central Command, which oversees Middle East operations, said in a statement.
CENTCOM said it is investigating the incident, which occurred at roughly 2 p.m. ET in western Iraq. It said the "loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire."
"The identities of the service members are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified," the military said.
The US first acknowledged on Thursday that it had lost a KC-135 KC-135 refueling aircraft supporting Operation Epic Fury. A second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely.
This marks the fourth American aircraft loss since the start of Operation Epic Fury, the Pentagon's name for US operations against Iran, nearly two weeks ago.
Just days into the war, CENTCOM announced that three US F-15E Strike Eagles were downed by friendly fire over Kuwait. The aircraft were lost, but all six aircrew members were able to eject safely.
The KC-135 Stratotanker is an Air Force asset that supports the broader joint force by refueling other aircraft — including fighter jets, bombers, and cargo aircraft — in notoriously complex midair refueling operations. It's essentially a flying gas station that executes fuel transfers at high speed with aircraft in close proximity.
March 13, 2026 — This story has been updated with the latest information from US Central Command, which has revealed the loss of members of the crew.