Fourth US Military Aircraft Loss Amid Iran War As KC-135 Refueling Plane Goes Down In Iraq

A US Air Force KC-135 refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq today (13 March) during Operation Epic Fury, marking the fourth manned American aircraft lost since military operations against Iran began on 28 February. US Central Command confirmed the incident involved two aircraft, with one going down while the other landed safely in Israel. The US military emphasised the crash was not due to hostile or friendly fire.

The loss comes as President Donald Trump has repeatedly highlighted aircraft losses during last year's India-Pakistan conflict, variously claiming between five and eleven jets were shot down.

At a Board of Peace event in February, Trump stated planes were "being shot down" and used the incident to justify his claimed role in ending that confrontation through tariff threats.

However, the US president has remained largely silent on the mounting American aircraft losses in the Iran war.

Three US F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences on 1 March, just one day into the Iran war, though all six crew members safely ejected.

The KC-135 involved in today's incident had at least five crew members aboard, according to US officials, though casualty details remain unclear as rescue efforts continue.

The 60-year-old tanker was providing aerial refuelling support when the incident occurred.

The Iran war has already claimed seven American service members' lives and injured approximately 140 others, including eight severely.

Six soldiers were killed when an Iranian drone struck an operations centre in Kuwait, while a seventh died following an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have both warned the conflict would likely claim more American lives before it ends.

The war has proven unpopular domestically in the US, with a Quinnipiac University survey finding 53 per cent of voters opposed the military offensive against Iran.

The conflict has divided even Trump's supporters, with conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson calling the war "absolutely disgusting and evil".

The US president's administration has struggled to articulate consistent objectives for the operation, which Trump initially projected would last four to five weeks.

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