Four U.S. service members died when their KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, U.S. Central Command announced early Friday morning.
The plane went down mid-afternoon Thursday with six crew members aboard. As of this reporting, four have been confirmed dead, while search-and-rescue operations continue for the others.
“At approximately 2 pm ET on March 12, a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq,” the official account of U.S. Central Command posted to X. “Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue.”
CENTCOM notes that the tragic incident was not due to any combat operations.
“The circumstances of the incident are under investigation,” they report. “However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”
The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Officials said the identities will be released 24 hours after family members have been informed.
CENTCOM initially reported that a second aircraft was involved and the “incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury.”
The other aircraft, they said, “landed safely.”
Four Confirmed Deceased in Loss of U.S. KC-135 Over Iraq
TAMPA, Fla. – At approximately 2 pm ET on March 12, a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq. Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue.
The…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 13, 2026
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There have been no immediate statements from the White House or congressional leaders regarding this incident as of early Friday.
President Trump on Friday warned Iran that, while the U.S. military has delivered a decisive blow to the regime, more is in store for them in the near future.
“We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time – Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today,” he wrote on his Truth Social media platform.
The KC-135 Stratotanker plays a vital role in supporting U.S. and coalition aircraft across the Middle East by providing mid-air refueling. This tragedy marks a serious non-combat loss for American forces in the region.
This is a developing story. RedState will provide ongoing updates as they come in, especially regarding the status of the other American heroes.
Editor’s Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.
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