Six Killed as U.S. KC-135 Crashes in Western Iraq; Not an Enemy Attack

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft crashed in western Iraq on the day before, the U.S. Central Command said, killing all six crew members on board. The KC-135, a workhorse for decades in aerial refueling, typically carries a crew of three or more, but this flight carried six.

The Pentagon-linked release said two aircraft collided in midair during the incident, and another KC-135 diverted to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport for an emergency landing. The wreckage of the tanker involved in the crash suffered damage to its vertical stabilizer, and there were no reported ground casualties.

CENTCOM emphasized that the crash was not the result of enemy attack or allied misidentification. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-loyal factions, claimed responsibility for shooting down the aircraft, but offered no evidence to support the claim.

This incident marks at least the fourth U.S. aircraft loss in the ongoing conflict, according to the report. Earlier, on March 28, a U.S. F-15 fighter was downed over Kuwaiti airspace due to a misfire by Kuwaiti forces.

For U.S. readers, the episode highlights the central role of air refueling in maintaining U.S. military reach and readiness in the Middle East. KC-135s enable long-range, persistent air operations by extending the reach of fighter and bomber aircraft, a capability that underpins power projection, air superiority, and rapid response in volatile theaters.

Contextual background helps: Ben Gurion Airport referenced in Israel is the country’s main international gateway, and CENTCOM oversees U.S. operations across the Middle East, including Iraq and Kuwait. The incident also underscores the ongoing risk posed by Iran-linked militias operating in western Iraq and the broader, complex security dynamics of regional conflicts that can affect U.S. and allied air operations.