A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during ongoing military operations against Iran, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
CENTCOM said two aircraft were involved in the incident. One aircraft went down in western Iraq, while the second landed safely. The command said the incident appears to have been an accident and “not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”
U.S. Central Command is aware of the loss of a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft. The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 12, 2026
According to reports, the second aircraft involved in the event landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel after transmitting a squawk code 7700, the international emergency signal used by aircraft experiencing serious problems.
The status of the crew remained unknown at time of reporting.
It was not immediately clear whether the KC-135 was conducting an aerial refueling mission at the time of the incident. CENTCOM also did not disclose what role the second aircraft played.
Mobility aircraft such as the KC-135 have been heavily deployed to the Middle East in recent weeks to support operations against Iranian targets, enabling U.S. and allied aircraft to conduct sustained strikes and long-range missions.
The KC-135 Stratotanker, which entered service in 1957, is a key component of the U.S. Air Force’s aerial refueling fleet, providing fuel to combat aircraft operating over long distances and extending the time fighter jets can remain on station during combat missions.
Unlike many fighter aircraft, it lacks ejection seats, making survival in a catastrophic failure more difficult for crew members.
The service is gradually replacing the aircraft with the newer Boeing KC-46 Pegasus, though officials expect the KC-135 to remain in service for decades.
The crash appears to be the first loss of a KC-135 since 2013, when three crew members were killed in an accident shortly after takeoff.
