KC-135 aircraft crashed on Thursday (12 March), with 6 crew members on board; circumstances of the incident are being investigated
The (United States Central Command) confirmed this Friday (13 March 2026) that 4 US soldiers died in the crash of a KC-135 refueling plane in Iraq, on Thursday (12 March).
“At approximately 2pm ET on March 12, a US KC-135 refueling plane crashed in western Iraq. 4 of the 6 crew on board were confirmed dead, while rescue operations continue.”says one on the social network X.
According to the US Army, the circumstances of the crash are being investigated. “However, the loss of the aircraft was not caused by enemy fire or friendly fire.”Central Command said in a statement. Another aircraft was involved in the incident, but safely.
The identities of the dead soldiers will be kept confidential for up to 24 hours after family members are notified.
With the crash of the KC-135 aircraft on Thursday (12 March), the number of US military personnel killed in the war against Iran rose to 11. The first 7 US soldiers were killed when a drone hit a US military installation in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
According to the news agency, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a group that encompasses armed factions supported by Iran, claimed responsibility for the downing of the US military plane that was carrying out in-flight refueling.
The KC-135 tanker, built by Boeing in the 1950s and 1960s, has served as the backbone of the U.S. military’s aerial refueling fleet and is critical in allowing aircraft to carry out missions without needing to land.
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