All six crew members of a US military refueling plane died when their KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in Iraq on Thursday, according to BBC News. The incident happened around 2 p.m. ET during a combat mission linked to the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran, now in its second week. A second plane involved landed safely.
US Central Command first reported finding four bodies and ruled out hostile fire or friendly fire as the cause. By Friday, all six were confirmed dead. The military withheld names for 24 hours to notify families. Search and rescue efforts located the remaining two crew members.
Gen. Dan Caine, Joint Chiefs chair, said the crash occurred on a combat operation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the crew “American heroes” whose loss strengthens mission resolve. The KC-135, built by Boeing in the 1950s-60s, refuels jets midair and has been key to US operations like the Gulf War.
Iran’s state TV claimed a pro-Iran militia hit the plane with a missile, despite US statements. The crash occurred in “friendly airspace” in Iraq, where such groups operate. This raises the US military death toll in the war to 13, with four aircraft lost so far. Earlier, three F-15s went down over Kuwait in apparent friendly fire; all six crew ejected safely.
The news comes amid wider tensions. Israel launched new strikes on Iranian infrastructure near Tehran, with explosions reported. Oil prices topped $100 a barrel after ships were hit in the Gulf. Iran’s new supreme leader vowed to keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump suggested the war could end soon due to high oil prices or go further.
France reported a separate loss: Staff Sgt. Arnaud Frion, killed by a drone at a Kurdish base in northern Iraq, with six others wounded. They were training local forces.
These losses remind us of the human toll behind headlines, as families grieve amid a growing conflict.
