The US Central Command (Centcom) reported that the KC-135 Stratotanker crashed on Thursday in western Iraq during the 'Epic Fury' operation. On Friday, the US confirmed the death of all six crew members, though initially only four fatalities were reported. Centcom stated that the incident's circumstances are under investigation but emphasized that the aircraft's loss was not due to enemy or friendly fire. Earlier, the Iraqi pro-Iranian militia 'Islamic Resistance in Iraq' claimed responsibility for the downing, stating their fighters attacked the aircraft with air defense systems. However, Centcom does not endorse this claim. This is the second incident involving US military personnel since the war against Iran began 14 days ago. Last Thursday, the USS Gerald Ford, the largest US aircraft carrier, suffered a fire that injured two sailors, which Centcom also said was not due to enemy action.
