All six crew members aboard a US KC-135 refuelling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq on Thursday have been confirmed dead, the US military announced. The incident involved another aircraft but was not caused by hostile or friendly fire, and the circumstances remain under investigation.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the Pentagon, acknowledged the risks of military operations, noting that “war is chaos” and expressing condolences for the loss. The second aircraft involved, also a KC-135, landed safely.
The KC-135, built by Boeing in the 1950s and 1960s, is a key component of the US air refuelling fleet, allowing aircraft to extend missions without landing. The crash underscores the dangers associated with in-flight refuelling during active military operations.
The deaths come amid ongoing US operations in the Middle East following strikes on Iran, which have already claimed seven US service members. Additional injuries occurred on the same day when two sailors were hurt in a non-combat fire aboard the USS Gerald Ford. US officials, including President Donald Trump, have warned that further US casualties are likely as tensions with Iran escalate.
