The U.S. Central Command confirmed Friday morning that four crew members were killed when a refueling aircraft went down flying over western Iraq.
The news comes amid the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran, marking two weeks since the launch of "Operation Epic Fury," the joint U.S.-Israel military campaign against the Islamic Republic.
Officials confirmed that rescue efforts for members aboard the KC-135 tanker were ongoing, additionally stating that the incident was “not due to hostile or enemy fire.”
“Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue,” U.S. Central Command shared. “The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”
U.S. Central Command previously announced that the incident occurred in friendly airspace and involved two aircrafts, later confirming that the second aircraft landed safely.
“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury,” the U.S. Central Command affirmed Thursday, referring to the current conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which has expanded along the Middle East.
According to CNBC, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq -- a group of militias funded by Iran -- took responsibility for the incident in a statement posted on its Telegram channel.
The incident marks the fourth reported aircraft loss since the launch of “Operation Epic Fury,” following the loss of three F-15 fighters in Kuwait, caused by friendly fire from Kuwait’s air forces.
The KC-135 tanker is normally used to refuel other aircraft while in the air. The tanker usually carries groups of three, yet it has not been disclosed what roles the other three members played aboard the aircraft.
