Pentagon Confirms All 6 Crew Dead As Pro-Iran Iraqi Militants Claim They Downed US Refueling Plane

March 13, 2026

TL;DR

Six US crew members are confirmed dead following the crash of a KC-135 refueling tanker in Western Iraq.
The Pentagon stated the aircraft was not downed by enemy or friendly fire, suggesting an accident.
Iranian-backed militias, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, claimed they shot down the KC-135 and a second similar aircraft.
A second KC-135, potentially damaged, made an emergency landing in Israel.
The incident is the single deadliest aerial event for the US in Operation Epic Fury.
The circumstances of the crash are under investigation.

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