Four members of the crew of a United States military refuelling aircraft were killed after the plane crashed in Iraq, according to the US Central Command (Centcom).
The aircraft, a KC-135 refuelling tanker, went down on Thursday in western Iraq. Six personnel were on board at the time of the incident.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, claimed responsibility for bringing down the aircraft.
The group said in a statement it had shot down the KC-135 aircraft “in defense of our country’s sovereignty and airspace”.
Despite the claim, Centcom said preliminary information indicates the aircraft was not brought down by hostile or friendly fire.
According to the command, the tanker was participating in ongoing US operations against Iran and was one of two aircraft involved in the mission. The second aircraft returned safely.
The KC-135 tanker, produced by Boeing, is designed to refuel military aircraft midair and plays a critical role in extending the operational range of US warplanes. The aircraft type was widely used during the first Gulf War to support fighter jets and bombers on long-distance missions.
Typically, the KC-135 operates with a crew that includes a pilot, co-pilot and a boom operator, who manages the refuelling arm used to transfer fuel to other aircraft in flight.
Centcom said the crash occurred over what it described as friendly airspace. However, the area of western Iraq where the incident took place is known to host several pro-Iranian militia groups.
Meanwhile, Iran’s military told state television that an allied faction had targeted the aircraft with a missile.
The incident comes amid escalating tensions following the outbreak of the US-Israel war with Iran. So far, seven US soldiers have been confirmed killed since the conflict began.
The US military has also lost at least four aircraft during the current war.
Earlier this month, officials said three F-15 fighter jets were shot down in “an apparent friendly fire incident” over Kuwait, though all six crew members on board those aircraft managed to eject safely.
The KC-135 Stratotanker was manufactured by Boeing for the US military during the 1950s and early 1960s. The aircraft has since remained a key component of the US aerial refuelling fleet, enabling combat aircraft to conduct extended missions without the need to land for fuel.
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