According to CENTCOM, the incident was not a result of hostile or friendly fire and rescue efforts are ongoing.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Central Command said on Thursday that it is aware of the loss of a KC-135 refueling aircraft.
According to CENTCOM, two aircraft were involved in an incident where one went down in western Iraq and was “a loss,” while the other landed safely. They added that the incident happened in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury.
According to CENTCOM, the incident was not a result of hostile or friendly fire and rescue efforts are ongoing.
“More information will be made available as the situation develops,” Central Command said in a statement. “We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members.”
It wasn’t immediately clear whether there were any casualties. Both President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have warned that the Iran war would likely claim more American lives before it ends.
The tanker is the fourth publicly acknowledged aircraft to crash as part of the U.S. military’s operations against Iran. Last week, the military confirmed that three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire.
The incident comes the same day as a laundry fire started on the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Red Sea that injured two sailors.
Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel began launching attacks in Iran. Since then, U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to “finish the job,” even though he has claimed that Iran is “virtually destroyed.”
Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, grinding worldwide shipping to a halt. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to avenge those killed in the war, including in a strike on a school. He said Iran would “obtain compensation” from its enemy, referring to the United States. If it refuses, Iran will “take from its assets” or destroy them to the same extent.”
Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
