U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday evening that it lost a military refueling aircraft over Iraq amid the war in Iran.
Two aircraft, both KC-135 Stratotankers, were involved in the incident, according to CENTCOM. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely, officials said, claiming the incident was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. It is unclear whether there were any fatalities. CENTCOM requested “patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members.”
“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,” CENTCOM said in a statement to X.
The KC-135 provides the “core aerial refueling capability” for the U.S. Air Force, according to the Pentagon, and can carry up to 83,000 pounds of cargo.
The incident Thursday comes as the U.S. military is engaged in operations against Iran, aimed at eliminating the regime’s nuclear weapons program and installing leadership more favorable to the West. The war is now approaching the two-week mark, costing over $11 billion in the first seven days of operations alone, according to the Trump administration.
The impact has spread globally, particularly through Iran’s hold over the oil and shipping industries via the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
In its operation thus far, the U.S. has eliminated large swaths of Iran’s leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and crippled the regime’s navy and air defense capabilities.
UKRAINE LOOKS TO PROVE ITS VALUE TO AMERICA WITH DRONE ASSISTANCE
The White House has repeatedly said it believes the war could last between four and six weeks. President Donald Trump said Thursday it is moving “very rapidly” after telling Axios the previous day the conflict would be over “soon” because there is “practically nothing left to target.”
Still, the president has not categorically ruled out deploying troops to Iran, a move that would draw out the conflict but which some lawmakers say would be necessary to accomplish the objective of fully eliminating the country’s nuclear threat.
