A KC-135 refueling plane for Operation Epic Fury went down in western Iraq on Friday, March 13, 2026, killing all six U.S. soldiers in the aircraft crash.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported an “unspecified incident involving two aircraft in friendly airspace” on Thursday. The report stated the KC-135 refueling aircraft was lost in western Iraq, and the other plane landed safely. The circumstances are being investigated, but it was confirmed that the “loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” says CENTCOM.
An Iranian proxy group has claimed responsibility for the aircraft crash.
White House Response to Aircraft Crash
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth assert Operation Epic Fury is a success but complain about negative media coverage.
On Friday, Hegseth said the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes have hit over 15,000 targets and injured the new supreme leader of Iran.
Trump posted on Truth Media saying the U.S. is “totally destroying” Iran’s regime, military, and economy.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel weakened rulers in Iran. Still, it might not be enough to topple the regime – the people of Iran will have to do that.
Health officials in Iran and Lebanon report more than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran, 773 in Lebanon, and 12 civilians in Israel, in addition to two Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon.
The aircraft crash brings the U.S. military death toll to 13, seven of whom were killed in combat, and eight service members were severely injured, according to the Pentagon.
The total number of displaced people due to the war in Iran and Lebanon has climbed into the millions.
Sources:
NPR: All 6 U.S. crew are dead after a military aircraft goes down in Iraq
PBS: U.S. military says all 6 airmen in refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq are dead
CNBC: All six members killed in KC-185 refueling plane crash in Iraq, U.S. military says
Featured Image Courtesy of Airwolfhound’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
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