6 US Soldiers Killed in Military Plane Crash in Iraq

Six US service members were killed after a military refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, the US military confirmed Friday.

According to the United States Central Command, all six crew members aboard the aircraft died when the plane went down on Thursday.

The aircraft involved was a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker operated by the United States Air Force.

Officials said the incident involved another aircraft but emphasized that the crash was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire. The circumstances surrounding the accident remain under investigation.

The fatalities add to earlier losses reported since the start of the US military campaign against Iran on Feb. 28.

Speaking at the United States Department of Defense, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said military operations against Iran will continue despite the tragedy.

A US official said the second aircraft involved in the incident, which landed safely, was also a KC-135 refueling plane.

The United States has deployed a large number of aircraft across the Middle East as part of ongoing operations against Iran, highlighting the operational risks not only during combat missions but also during aerial refueling activities.

The KC-135 Stratotanker, developed by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, remains a cornerstone of the US military’s aerial refueling fleet and plays a critical role in enabling aircraft to conduct long-range missions without landing.

Separately, reports earlier this week indicated that about 150 US troops have been injured since the start of the US-Israel conflict with Iran.

The crash occurred around the same time two US sailors were injured after a fire broke out aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford in an incident unrelated to combat operations.