A U.S. military refuelling aircraft has crashed in western Iraq during an operation linked to the ongoing conflict with Iran, according to U.S. Central Command.
In a statement, the command said the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker went down on Thursday while flying in friendly airspace. The incident involved a second aircraft but was not caused by hostile action or friendly fire.
The military said rescue operations were underway, adding that the second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely.
Officials said the crash occurred during Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. campaign targeting Iranian facilities and forces.
A U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity told reporters that the second aircraft was also a KC-135. Up to six service members were believed to have been on board the aircraft that crashed.
The group Islamic Resistance in Iraq later claimed responsibility for the incident, saying it had shot down the aircraft «in defence of our country’s sovereignty and airspace».
The KC-135, first produced by Boeing in the late 1950s and early 1960s, remains a key element of the U.S. military’s aerial refuelling fleet, allowing aircraft to carry out long-range missions without landing.
The crash comes amid intensified military activity in the region following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that began on February 28. Since then, seven U.S. troops have been killed and around 150 others wounded in the conflict, according to media reports.
The war has so far left more than 2,000 people dead across the region, including nearly 700 in Lebanon.
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