US KC-135 Refueling Aircraft Crashes in Iraq, All Six Crew Members Killed

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of all six crew members, according to U.S. Central Command. The incident occurred during operations against Iran and involved two aircraft in friendly airspace; the other plane landed safely. The cause of the crash is under investigation, but officials have ruled out hostile or friendly fire.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine confirmed that three of the deceased were from Ohio, serving with the 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard. He extended condolences to their families.

This crash brings the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members, with seven others killed in combat. Approximately 140 U.S. service members have been injured, including eight severely.

The KC-135 Stratotanker, in service for over 60 years, has been involved in several fatal accidents, most recently in 2013. Concerns have been raised about the aircraft's reliability and the absence of parachutes on many KC-135s. The aircraft typically has a crew of three but can carry additional personnel for extended missions.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the incident, stating, "War is hell. War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes, all of them."