March 13, 2026, 16:21 (UTC +3)
All six crew members aboard the US Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft lost over western Iraq on March 12, 2026, have now been confirmed dead, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
CENTCOM said the circumstances of the incident remain under investigation, but reiterated that the loss of the aircraft was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire.
A US Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft was lost over western Iraq on March 12, 2026, in what US Central Command described as a non-combat incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace” during Operation Epic Fury.
One aircraft went down in western Iraq, while the second landed safely. According to CENTCOM, the incident was caused by neither hostile fire nor friendly fire, and rescue efforts were ongoing.
However, a brief CENTCOM statement left key questions unanswered, including the identity of the second aircraft, the number of crew aboard the downed tanker, and the precise sequence of events. Reporting by the Associated Press, citing US officials, noted that the second aircraft was also a KC-135 and that the crashed tanker had at least five crew members aboard.
Image of damaged tanker adds to collision theory
Flight-tracking data shows a KC-135 returning to Ben Gurion Airport after broadcasting an emergency code. Citing Israeli ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, AP reported that the surviving aircraft landed safely in Israel.
A photo circulating online shows a USAF Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker, 63-8017, operated by the 314th Air Refueling Squadron of the 940th Air Refueling Wing, on the ground at Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) with part of its vertical stabilizer missing.
תיעוד: אחד ממטוסי התדלוק האמריקניים, שהיה מעורב אתמול בתאונה בשמי עיראק, צולם בנתב”ג ללא חלק משמעותי ממיצב הכיוון בזנב המטוס. תיעוד המטוס הגיע אלינו הבוקר, ומלמד משהו על התאונה החריגה במהלך התקיפות באיראן
המטוס השני שהיה מעורב בתאונה התרסק בעיראק, גורל ששת אנשי הצוות לא ידוע pic.twitter.com/igBPfEOZjf
— איתי בלומנטל 🇮🇱 Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) March 13, 2026
If confirmed, the involvement of two KC-135s could suggest that the loss occurred during a tanker operation, rather than while refueling a fighter or transport aircraft. CENTCOM has not publicly described the mission profile, nor has it disclosed whether the two aircraft collided, were maneuvering in close formation, or were involved in some other kind of in-flight emergency. Reuters reported that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, has claimed responsibility for downing the aircraft, though that assertion remains unsupported by publicly available evidence.
Tanker sorties are routine, and the KC-135 remains one of the most heavily used aircraft in the Air Force inventory. It is a core part of US air operations, extending the range and endurance of fighters, surveillance aircraft, and other military aircraft. The current Air Force inventory includes 376 KC-135s across the active-duty force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve.
The incident comes as US forces continue Operation Epic Fury, the campaign tied to the widening conflict with Iran. CENTCOM has stressed that this incident was not linked to hostile action.
CENTCOM declared that more information would be provided as the situation develops, but asked for patience while officials gather facts and provide clarity for the families of the service members involved.