All six crew members aboard a US military KC-135 refueling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq on Thursday are confirmed to have been killed, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Friday The incident raises the number of US service members killed to 13 since the United States began military operations against Iran on February 28
In a statement, CENTCOM said an investigation into the circumstances of the crash is underway, but specified that the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile or friendly fire A US official confirmed to news agencies that a second KC-135 aircraft was involved in the incident but managed to land safely
The crash of the refueling tanker, a critical asset for power projection, highlights the severe operational risks involved in the large-scale deployment of US air assets to the Middle East The United States has significantly increased its military presence in the region for its campaign against Iran, and these latest deaths underscore the non-combat dangers faced by its forces during high-tempo operations
Mohsin Rana
