- A US military refueling plane crashed in western Iraq on Thursday.
- Iran-backed group claims responsibility for shooting down US planes.
- At least 150 US troops have been injured so far in the US-Israeli war against Iran.
WASHINGTON: All six crew members aboard a U.S. military refueling plane that crashed in western Iraq are confirmed to have been killed, the U.S. military said Friday.
A U.S. military refueling plane crashed Thursday in western Iraq, in an incident that the military said involved another plane but was not the result of hostile or friendly fire.
These deaths are in addition to the seven American soldiers already killed as part of American operations against Iran which began on February 28.
“The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile or friendly fire,” US Central Command said in a statement.
A US official said Reuters that the second plane involved in the accident, which landed safely, was also a military refueling plane known as the KC-135.
The United States has deployed large numbers of aircraft to the Middle East to take part in operations against Iran and the incident highlights the risk not only of operations but also of refueling aircraft in flight.
The KC-135, built by Boeing BA.N in the 1950s and early 1960s, forms the backbone of the U.S. military’s air-to-air refueling fleet and plays a critical role in allowing planes to carry out missions without having to land.
Meanwhile, a group of armed factions backed by Iran claimed responsibility for the downing of the US military refueling plane.
Reuters reported Tuesday that up to 150 American troops were injured in the US-Israeli war against Iran. News of the accident comes the same day two U.S. sailors were injured after the USS Gerald Ford suffered a non-combat-related onboard fire.
The first seven U.S. troops were killed when a drone struck a U.S. military installation in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
President Donald Trump and other top officials have warned that the Iran conflict will lead to more U.S. military deaths as Tehran retaliates against U.S. and Israeli strikes.
