The US military has announced the loss of a refueling aircraft in a friendly airspace incident during Operation Epic Fury. The US Central Command confirmed the occurrence on Thursday evening, stating that ongoing rescue operations were in progress.
According to a statement released by the US Central Command, a US KC-135 refueling aircraft was lost in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury. The incident involved two aircraft, with one crashing in western Iraq while the other landed safely. The Command emphasized that the incident was not a result of hostile or friendly fire.
Further updates on the situation are expected as it unfolds, with a request for patience to gather more details and offer clarity to the families of the service members affected. A US official, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, disclosed that the second aircraft involved was also a KC-135 tanker.
The tanker crash marks the fourth publicly acknowledged aircraft mishap in the US military’s operations against Iran. Last week, three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire. All six crew members from the F-15E Strike Eagles ejected safely and were reported in stable condition after rescue.
Seven American troops have lost their lives in combat during the Iran conflict, with approximately 140 US service members sustaining injuries, including eight severe cases, as disclosed by the Pentagon earlier this week.
