US refueling plane crashes over Iraq, Central Command says

John Harney, Bloomberg News on Mar 12, 2026

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A KC-135 refueling plane that was part of the American military campaign against Iran crashed over western Iraq after an incident involving another plane, U.S. Central Command said Thursday night.

“This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” Centcom said in a statement, adding that rescue efforts were underway and that the episode occurred “in friendly airspace.” The other aircraft landed safely, according to the statement.

Central Command gave no information about the fate of the crew or the number of people aboard the plane. But the KC-135 normally has a crew of three and sometimes carries a backup team if it’s on a long flight.

CBS News reported Thursday night that the second plane involved in the incident was also a KC-135 and that it landed in Israel.

As of earlier Thursday, the Pentagon had reported that seven U.S. service members had been killed since the war began on Feb. 28. In the first days of the conflict, three U.S. fighter jets crashed in Kuwait after accidentally coming under fire by the country’s air defense forces. All six crew members ejected safely, officials said.

The KC-135 Stratotanker “provides the core aerial refueling capability for the United States Air Force and has excelled in this role for more than 60 years,” according to an Air Force web page. It also provides refueling for Navy and Marine aircraft.

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