Four US Crew Members Killed in Military Aircraft Crash in Iraq

Four members of the United States military have been killed after a US aircraft crashed in western Iraq, according to the US Central Command.

Officials said the aircraft, a refuelling plane, went down during an operation in the region. Six crew members were reportedly on board at the time of the crash.

US Central Command confirmed that four personnel died in the incident, while efforts were underway to locate the two remaining crew members.

The crash occurred at about 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday. Authorities also disclosed that another aircraft involved in the same operation was able to land safely.

Military officials stated that investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing. However, preliminary findings indicate that the aircraft was not brought down by either hostile or friendly fire.

Meanwhile, Iran’s military claimed that an allied armed group in Iraq had shot down the aircraft with a missile. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed groups, also claimed responsibility for the incident, saying it had targeted a KC-135 aircraft.

The development comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where US forces have been involved in operations linked to Iran-aligned groups in the region.

With the latest incident, the number of US service members reported killed in the ongoing conflict involving Iran-backed groups has risen to at least eleven.Four US Crew Members Killed in Military Aircraft Crash in Iraq

Four members of the United States military have been killed after a US aircraft crashed in western Iraq, according to the US Central Command.

Officials said the aircraft, a refuelling plane, went down during an operation in the region. Six crew members were reportedly on board at the time of the crash.

US Central Command confirmed that four personnel died in the incident, while efforts were underway to locate the two remaining crew members.

The crash occurred at about 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday. Authorities also disclosed that another aircraft involved in the same operation was able to land safely.

Military officials stated that investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing. However, preliminary findings indicate that the aircraft was not brought down by either hostile or friendly fire.

Meanwhile, Iran’s military claimed that an allied armed group in Iraq had shot down the aircraft with a missile. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed groups, also claimed responsibility for the incident, saying it had targeted a KC-135 aircraft.

The development comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where US forces have been involved in operations linked to Iran-aligned groups in the region.

With the latest incident, the number of US service members reported killed in the ongoing conflict involving Iran-backed groups has risen to at least eleven.