BAGHDAD, Iraq – U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed the crash of a KC-135 Stratotanker in western Iraq late Thursday. The aircraft was operating in support of Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing U.S. and coalition campaign against Iran.
According to a statement from CENTCOM, the crash occurred in “friendly airspace” and involved a second aircraft. While the second plane—reported to be another refueling tanker—landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, the KC-135 went down following what officials describe as an “incident” during flight.
Rescue and Recovery Efforts
Search and rescue operations are currently underway in the region to locate the crew.
- Crew Status: The condition and exact number of personnel on board remain unknown.
- Crew: CBS News reports the USAF KC 135 was carrying 6 crew members.
- Casualty Notification: Military officials have asked for “continued patience” as they gather details and work to notify next of kin.
Cause of the Incident
While the investigation is in its earliest stages, CENTCOM has been quick to rule out combat-related causes.
“This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” the command stated, suggesting the crash was the result of a mid-air mishap or mechanical failure during a refueling sortie.
This marks the first loss of a KC-135 in a combat theater since 2013. Unlike the F-15E Strike Eagles recently lost in a friendly-fire incident over Kuwait, the Stratotanker—a modified Boeing 707 airframe—is not equipped with ejection seats, making the search for survivors particularly urgent.
Context of Operation Epic Fury
The U.S. has surged nearly 14 aerial refueling tankers and dozens of bombers to the region to maintain high-tempo strikes, making the Stratotanker fleet the “backbone” of the ongoing air campaign.
According to Flightradar24, the aircraft (registration 63-8017) landed at TLV at 18:35 UTC, squawking 7700.
Another KC-135 (registration 62-3556) took off from TLV at 05:17 UTC and has not been tracked returning, indicating it may be the crashed aircraft.
UPDATE #1
Iraqi Resistance Claims Responsibility For Downing Aircraft: The group shot down the KC-135 aircraft “in defense of the country’s sovereignty and airspace,” it said in a statement. (Reuters)
UPDATE #2
CENTCOM confirms: Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue.
UPDATE #3
CENTOM confirms: All six crew members aboard a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft that went down in western Iraq are now confirmed deceased.
The circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
