US refueling aircraft crashes in Iraq amid disputed attack claims
Washington denies hostile fire while pro-Iran militias claim responsibility, exposing deadly risks of US military escalation across Middle East
ERBIL, Iraq (MNTV) — A US aerial refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during a military operation against Iran, the US military said, while a pro-Iran armed group claimed it had shot the plane down.
The US military’s Central Command said the KC-135 aircraft went down during what it described as a non-combat incident in “friendly airspace” while operating as part of the US campaign against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury.
According to the military, two aircraft were involved in the incident. One KC-135 crashed in western Iraq while the second aircraft managed to land safely.
Officials insisted the crash was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire and said search and rescue operations were underway.
A US official speaking anonymously said the downed aircraft was carrying six service members at the time of the crash.
However, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq — an umbrella group of pro-Iran armed factions — issued a statement claiming its fighters had targeted the aircraft and successfully brought it down.
The group said the attack was carried out “in defense of our country’s sovereignty and airspace,” accusing US forces of violating Iraqi territory.
Iranian state media also reported that proxy fighters had struck the aircraft with a missile, alleging that the entire crew had been killed, though those claims have not been independently verified.
The incident comes amid rising regional tensions linked to the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran, which has increasingly drawn Iraq and the Kurdistan region, including the whole Gulf into the confrontation.
Armed factions aligned with Tehran have repeatedly targeted US bases and diplomatic facilities across Iraq since the conflict began, presenting themselves as resisting foreign military presence in the country.
The KC-135 Stratotanker, a refueling aircraft used to supply fuel to US warplanes mid-air, has been a backbone of the US Air Force for decades and typically carries a crew of three, though additional personnel may be on board depending on the mission.
The crash marks the latest setback for US forces in the region. Earlier in the conflict, three American F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti forces in an incident of friendly fire, though their crews managed to eject safely.
The growing number of aircraft losses has raised questions about the safety of US operations in the crowded and volatile Middle East airspace, where overlapping military campaigns and regional rivalries have heightened the risk of accidents and escalation.
Iraqi leaders have also voiced concern about their territory being dragged deeper into the conflict. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani recently told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Iraq rejects becoming a staging ground for attacks between rival powers.
Analysts say the crash highlights the dangers of expanding US military operations across the region, where proxy forces, foreign armies and competing air campaigns increasingly operate in the same battlespace.
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