An American military refueling aircraft crashed on Thursday in western Iraq, as reported by the U.S. Central Command. The incident involved another aircraft but was not the result of hostile or friendly fire.
The United States has deployed a large number of aircraft in the Middle East for operations against Iran, highlighting the risks even in friendly skies.
According to a statement from the U.S. Central Command, rescue operations were conducted after the American KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed. The second aircraft landed safely.
Despite claims from the Islamic resistance in Iraq, a group backed by Iran, that they shot down the aircraft to defend their country’s sovereignty and airspace, a U.S. official confirmed that both planes involved were KC-135s.
The KC-135, manufactured by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, serves as a vital component of the U.S. military’s aerial refueling fleet, allowing aircraft to carry out missions without landing.
Since the U.S. and Israel started striking Iran on February 28th, seven American soldiers have been killed, with over 6,000 targets hit in Iran.
Reports by Reuters state that at least 150 American soldiers have been injured in the American-Israeli war against Iran. This news comes as two American sailors were injured due to a non-combat fire on the USS Gerald Ford.
So far, the war has resulted in over 2,000 deaths, including nearly 700 in Lebanon.
