The United States military has launched a rescue operation after a refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during the ongoing joint military offensive with Israel against Iran, officials said on Thursday.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees operations in the Middle East, confirmed the loss of a KC-135 refuelling aircraft during “Operation Epic Fury”.
According to a CENTCOM statement, the incident occurred in “friendly airspace,” and while the crash involved two aircraft, the second plane “landed safely”, reports Al Jazeera.
Military officials stated that the crash was not the result of “hostile fire or friendly fire”. The nature of the statement suggested the two planes may have collided or been engaged in close manoeuvres.
Although rescue efforts are ongoing, no deaths have been reported from this specific incident so far.
This crash is the latest in a series of aviation setbacks for the US military since operations against Iran commenced on 28 February .
On 1 March, three F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences during an active combat situation; however, all six personnel on board those jets ejected safely.
Prior to Thursday’s crash, the US military had reported seven service members killed and 140 wounded in the campaign. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell noted that eight of those wounded face severe injuries.
The broader human cost of the conflict includes an estimated 1,348 Iranians, 15 Israelis, and 17 people in neighbouring Gulf states killed since the start of hostilities.
The war remains highly unpopular and divisive within the United States. A poll released on March 9 by Quinnipiac University found that 53 per cent of voters oppose the military offensive, while 74 per cent reject the deployment of ground troops.
Similarly, research firm Ipsos reported that 43 per cent of Americans disapprove of the strikes, compared to only 29 per cent who approve.
Despite the opposition, President Donald Trump has defended the assault as essential for national security, claiming a “nuclear war” would have occurred had Iran not been confronted.
The administration has faced internal criticism as well, with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson describing the war as “absolutely disgusting and evil” and suggesting the president may have been misled by advisers regarding public support.
Adding to the diplomatic complexity, Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently suggested the US attack was launched in anticipation of Israeli action against Iran, though he later backtracked on those remarks.
