Four of the six crew members aboard a U.S. military aircraft that crashed in western Iraq are confirmed to have been killed, the U.S. military announced on Friday, while rescue efforts continue for the remaining two after the crash.
A U.S. military refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday in an incident that involved another aircraft but was not the result of friendly or hostile fire, according to the U.S. military.
The deaths now add up to seven U.S. service members who have already been killed as part of U.S. operations against Iran, which began earlier this month.
“The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” a statement from U.S. Central Command said.
Speaking to Reuters, a U.S. official said that the second aircraft involved in the crash, which landed safely, was also a refuelling aircraft known as the KC-135.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, has claimed responsibility for the crash.
150 Injured Troops
The United States has deployed a large number of military aircraft to West Asia to participate in operations against Iran. This incident highlights the risk not only of operations but also of refuelling aircraft in the air.
The KC-135, built by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, has been the backbone of the U.S. military’s air refuelling fleet, and is critical to allowing aircraft to carry out prolonged missions without the need to land.
On Thursday, Reuters reported that as many as 150 U.S. troops have been wounded in the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. News of the crash came the same day that two U.S. sailors were injured during a non-combat-related fire on board the USS Gerald Ford.
The first seven U.S. military personnel were killed when a drone slammed into a U.S. military facility in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
U.S. President Donald Trump and other senior government officials have warned that the Iran conflict could result in more U.S. military deaths as Tehran retaliates against U.S. and Israeli strikes.
(With inputs from Reuters)
