On Thursday, an American refuelling aircraft, the KC-135 Stratotanker, crashed over western Iraq. The US maintains that the incident was not owing to ‘hostile or friendly fire’. However, Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for downing the plane

We are officially two weeks into the Iran war. Amid this fighting, the United States has lost yet another aircraft — taking the total number to four. On Thursday (March 12), the US Central Command announced that a military refuelling plane — a KC-135 Stratotanker — had crashed in western Iraq.

While the US military announced that the crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire, an Iran-backed Iraqi armed group has claimed responsibility for the downing of the jet.

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So, what do we know of the incident?

What is a KC-135 Stratotanker?

>> The KC-135 Stratotanker was built by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s. It has been a backbone to the US military’s air refuelling fleet, and critical in allowing aircraft to carry out missions without having to land.

>> According to data available, the Air Force had a total of 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard, and 62 in the Air Force Reserve in 2025.

>> In 1998, the cost of a KC-135, as per the US navy website, was $39.6 million. If you apply today’s inflation that comes up to $79.6 million.

>> It also provides aerial refuelling support to the US air force, navy, Marine Corps, and allied nation aircraft.

>> Depending on its fuel storage, the KC-135 has the ability to carry up to 83,000 pounds of cargo.

>> The KC-135 isn’t only used for refuelling purposes; it can be used in aeromedical evacuations for ambulatory patients.

The KC-135 has been a backbone to the US military’s air refuelling fleet, and critical in allowing aircraft to carry out missions without having to land. File image/ReutersWhat do we know about the crash?

>> On Thursday (March 12), an
American KC-135 involved in the US’ Operation Epic Fury against Iran crashed in western Iraq. The last time a KC-135 went down was in 2013 when the plane taking part in a refuelling mission over Afghanistan crashed soon after take-off from Manas airport in the Central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan.

>> The crash of the Boeing KC-135 jet, which comes in the second week of the war, was not a result of enemy or friendly fire, Central Command said in a statement that made no mention of any casualties.

U.S. Central Command is aware of the loss of a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft. The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the…

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 12, 2026STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

>> “The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,” it said. A second aircraft, which was also identified to be a KC-135, involved in the crash landed without incident, the military added.

>> The Central Command said more information would become available as “the situation develops” and asked for patience as more details were gathered “to provide clarity for the families of service members.”

>> While the Central Command insists that the plane wasn’t targeted, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, claimed ⁠responsibility for downing the aircraft. The group said in ⁠a statement it had shot down the ⁠KC-135 aircraft “in defence of our ⁠country’s sovereignty and ⁠airspace”.

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>> Notably, the loss of the aircraft comes as Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, said Tehran would make the US “sorry” for starting the war in Iran.

>> It is not yet immediately clear if there are any casualties. A US official told the Associated Press that the crashed KC-135 plane had five members on board. The KC-135 typically carries a three-person crew — a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator.

>> How many aircraft and troops have US lost in the war?

>> The KC-135 that crashed in Iraq is the fourth US aircraft that has been downed since the beginning of the Iran war on February 28.

>> Earlier,
three US air force jets, F-15E Strike Eagles, were mistakenly shot down in a “friendly fire” incident by Kuwait air defences. All crew members in those jets ejected safely.

>> Additionally, the US has lost seven troops so far, with the Pentagon adding that another 140 US service members have been injured, including eight severely.

>> Of the seven dead,
six were killed when an Iranian drone struck an operations centre at a civilian port in Kuwait. They were in the Army Reserve and worked in logistics, keeping troops supplied with food and equipment.

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>> The seventh died after being wounded during a March 1 attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia.

>> Earlier, US President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth noted that the Iran war could claim more American lives before it ends.

With inputs from agencies

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