A US KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft has crashed in western Iraq, killing four crew members, the US military confirmed on Friday.
United States Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said the crash happened on Thursday at about 2:00 pm Eastern Time (1900 GMT).
The aircraft went down during an operation in Iraq, while another plane involved in the incident landed safely, the command said.
“Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue,” CENTCOM said in a statement posted on X.
The military added that initial findings ruled out hostile fire or friendly fire as the cause of the crash. An investigation is now underway to determine what went wrong.
The deaths raise the number of US service members killed in the current conflict with Iran to at least 11.
Earlier, Iran’s military claimed the aircraft had been shot down. In a statement broadcast on state television, Tehran said a missile launched by an allied group in Iraq brought down the plane.
The claim was echoed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose coalition of Iran-backed Iraqi factions, which said it targeted two US aircraft and successfully downed one.
CENTCOM has rejected those claims, insisting the crash was not caused by enemy action.
Since the start of the conflict with Iran on February 28, the alliance has frequently claimed attacks on American interests across Iraq and the wider region, though it rarely identifies specific targets.
The Boeing KC‑135 Stratotanker, a key aerial refuelling aircraft used by the United States Air Force, has been in service for more than six decades. It typically carries three crew members — a pilot, co-pilot and boom operator — though additional personnel such as a navigator may join some missions.
The aircraft can also carry up to 37 passengers, according to an Air Force factsheet.
The crash marks at least the fourth US aircraft lost during the ongoing war, following an earlier incident in which three US F-15E fighter jets were accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti forces. All six crew members involved in that event managed to eject safely.
Military officials said the friendly-fire incident occurred during heavy combat operations that included attacks by Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones.
Investigators are now working to determine the exact cause of the latest crash.
