US KC-135 Crash In Iraq During Operation Epic Fury Raises Casualty Questions

A US KC-135 military refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury on Thursday. US Central Command confirmed the loss and said search and rescue teams were deployed. A second aircraft involved in the incident landed without damage. Officials have not yet confirmed whether any of the personnel on board were killed or injured.

In its first public comment, the command said the aircraft went down in what it described as friendly airspace. The second aircraft in the incident was also a KC-135 and, according to officials, "landed safely". The crash comes amid joint US-Israeli operations targeting Iran and its allied groups across the region.

Key details on KC-135 crash in Iraq

The initial statement from the command read: "US Central Command is aware of the loss of a US KC-135 refueling aircraft. The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,". According to US officials cited by Reuters, six service members were on board the aircraft that crashed in Iraq.

Reuters reported that the second KC-135, which returned safely, was part of the same mission. The cause of the crash has not been established by investigators. The command clarified that "This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire," but did not share any further technical or operational information about what might have gone wrong.

Background and claims around KC-135 crash in Iraq

The KC-135, built by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, has long supported US air operations. The aircraft allows combat jets and other planes to refuel mid-air, which lets them remain in the sky for extended periods. This role makes the aircraft central to missions that require long-range or continuous air presence.

Shortly after the command confirmed the loss of the aircraft, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq issued a claim of responsibility. The group is an umbrella organisation for several Iran-backed armed factions active in the country. It said it had downed the refuelling aircraft "in defense of our country's sovereignty and airspace," Reuters reported, without independent verification of the claim.

The crash in Iraq is the fourth US aircraft to be lost since 28 February, when the US and Israel began joint military strikes against Iran under Operation Epic Fury. Earlier in March, Kuwait air defences mistakenly shot down three US Air Force jets in a friendly fire incident. All the crew members in those earlier jets ejected and survived.

Casualties linked to the wider conflict continue to rise. US officials say seven US troops have been killed so far in the US-Israeli war on Iran. Reuters reported that about 150 US personnel had been wounded as of Tuesday. Iranian and Lebanese casualty figures released by officials are shown below.

Country/Force	Reported deaths	Reported wounded	Source
United States troops	7	About 150	US officials / Reuters
Iran	More than 1,300	Not specified	Iran’s UN ambassador
Lebanon	Nearly 700	Not specified	Officials cited in reports

The latest KC-135 crash in Iraq adds to the human and material cost of Operation Epic Fury. Rescue teams are still working at the site, and officials have not released casualty figures or a cause. Further investigation findings are expected to clarify how the aircraft was lost during the refuelling mission.