A US KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, killing all six crew members, the US military has said, adding the incident was not caused by “hostile fire”. The incident, which happened Friday and involved a second plane that landed safely, brings the number of US troops killed in operations against Iran to at least 13. “All six crew members aboard a US KC-135 refuelling aircraft that went down in western Iraq are now confirmed deceased,” US Central Command (Centcom), which is responsible for American forces in the Middle East, said in a post on X. An investigation was underway into the crash, the command said, adding that “the loss of the aircraft was not because of hostile fire or friendly fire”. Iran’s military said in an earlier statement carried by state TV that an allied group in Iraq had downed the aircraft with a missile, killing all its crew.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 13, 2026 22:56 UTC