The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Thursday confirmed that a refuelling aircraft crashed in Iraq. However, officials confirmed that the crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire. Rescue efforts were underway.
CENTCOM, which oversees the Middle East, said in a statement that the two KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft were involved in the incident. One landed safely, while the other went down in western Iraq.
The command said ‘it is aware of the loss of a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft. The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely. This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire’.
It is unclear whether the pilot and crew members survived the crash.
Since the US and Israel started carrying out strikes against Iran on February 28, seven U.S. troops have been killed. Reuters reported on Tuesday that as many as 150 US troops have been wounded in the US-Israeli war on Iran.
