US Military Airplane Crashes Amid Ongoing War with Iran, Search for Crew Members Begins
- A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, with rescue efforts still underway
- The military confirmed the incident was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire, and a second tanker involved landed safely
- The crash marks the fourth known US aircraft loss in the ongoing war with Iran, following last week’s friendly fire incident in Kuwait
A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker, a refuelling aircraft, crashed in western Iraq on March 12, according to the US military. Officials confirmed that the incident was “not due to hostile fire or friendly fire” but involved a second US tanker.
At least five crew members were aboard the aircraft when it went down, a US official told CNN.
Source: Getty Images
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said rescue efforts were ongoing but did not confirm whether any service members had been injured or killed.
Operation Epic Fury
CENTCOM stated:
“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely. This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”
Operation Epic Fury is the Pentagon’s name for US operations against Iran. CENTCOM added that more information would be released as “the situation develops” and asked for patience while details were gathered “to provide clarity for the families of service members.”
Western Iraq and security risks
Western Iraq is a sparsely populated desert region. While US and allied forces in Iraq have faced attacks from pro-Iran militias, those assaults are typically carried out using drones in the north of the country.
KC-135 stratotanker role
The KC-135 is essentially a flying fuel station, enabling aircraft to refuel mid-air and extend their operational range. A typical crew includes a pilot, copilot, and a boom operator, with navigators added for certain missions. The aircraft can also be configured to carry cargo or medical patients.
The KC-135 fleet is among the oldest in the US Air Force, with the last unit delivered in 1965. Based on the Boeing 707 passenger jet, 376 units were active as of last year. Despite upgrades, including new engines, the aircraft remains a legacy platform.
Recent US aircraft losses
The crash marks the fourth known aircraft loss in the war with Iran. Just last week, three F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were shot down over Kuwait in a mistaken friendly fire incident. All six crew members ejected safely.
Source: Getty Images
Israeli government accuses Iran of heavy bombardment
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused Iran of targeting civilians with cluster munitions. In a post shared on Facebook, the ministry wrote: “Cluster munitions fired towards civilians by the Iranian regime, moments before striking Israel. The Iranian regime continues its attempts to hit as many civilians as possible. This is who the Iranian regime targets: civilians.”
Cluster munitions are weapons that release multiple smaller explosives over a wide area. Their use has long been controversial because of the high risk they pose to civilians, both during attacks and afterwards, as unexploded bomblets can remain dangerous for years. International organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about their humanitarian impact.
Source: Legit.ng
