Washington, Mar 14 (V7N) — All six crew members aboard a United States KC-135 refueling aircraft have been confirmed dead following a crash in western Iraq, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Friday (Mar 13).

CENTCOM stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the KC-135 Stratotanker suffered damage after a mid-air collision with another aircraft, leading to the crash. Initial reports had confirmed four fatalities, while efforts were ongoing to rescue two remaining crew members. Subsequent updates confirmed that no one survived.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed deep sorrow at a press briefing held at the Pentagon. He said, “War is hell. War is chaos. This incident shows again that unexpected accidents can occur in conflict zones.” He added that the fallen airmen are heroes of the United States and will be honored with full military honors upon the return of their bodies to the country.

CENTCOM clarified that the crash was not related to hostile fire from enemy or allied forces, and the incident is under full investigation. The other aircraft involved in the mid-air collision managed to make an emergency landing at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, sustaining damage to its tail section.

Meanwhile, the Iran-aligned armed coalition ‘Islamic Resistance in Iraq’ claimed responsibility for downing the aircraft, although no evidence has been provided to support this assertion.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, confirmed via X that the second aircraft landed safely in Israel.

The names of the deceased crew members have not yet been released. CENTCOM stated that their identities will be shared after notifying next of kin.

The crash underscores the dangers U.S. military personnel face even during non-combat operations in active conflict regions, highlighting the risks of mid-air coordination during ongoing military missions in the Middle East.

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