All six crew members confirmed dead after US military plane crash in Iraq
All six crew members confirmed dead after US military plane crash in Iraq
Six US military personnel were confirmed deceased following a plane crash in western Iraq, according to the US military. The KC-135 refuelling aircraft, which crashed on Thursday, was involved in an incident that included another plane, though no hostile or friendly fire was reported as the cause.
The western desert of Iraq, spanning a wide area of rocky terrain, serves as a strategic location for several Iran-backed Shia militant groups. This region has seen numerous airstrikes by both Israeli and US forces.
Meanwhile, a French soldier lost their life in an attack within Iraq’s Kurdish region, reported by President Emmanuel Macron on Friday. This marks the first fatality for French forces in the conflict.
The escalation of hostilities began two weeks ago with the US-Israeli campaign against Iran, leading to widespread conflict across the Middle East. Pro-Iranian groups have since launched several attacks on areas hosting foreign troops, as part of a multinational effort to counter jihadist threats.
In response to the deployment of a French aircraft carrier, the pro-Iranian Ashab al-Kahf group issued a warning via its Telegram channel, stating that French assets in the region would face targeted strikes.
The US military has stationed a significant number of aircraft in the Middle East to engage in operations against Iran. Specialized search and rescue teams were dispatched to retrieve the crew from the downed plane. US Central Command noted that rescue missions were underway following the KC-135’s crash. A second aircraft involved in the incident landed without incident, marking the fourth US plane lost since the conflict began on 28 February.
In early March, three US fighter jets were accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti defenses. All crew members managed to eject safely. To date, thirteen US service members have perished, with over 150 sustaining injuries.
“The war will probably claim more American lives before it ends,” said Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
An Iranian drone attack on a civilian port in Kuwait resulted in the deaths of six US reservists, who were logistics specialists responsible for resupplying troops. A seventh US service member was killed after sustaining injuries from an assault on the Prince Sultan airbase in Saudi Arabia on March 1.
On Thursday, Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader, announced plans to retaliate against the casualties suffered by Iran in the conflict, as stated by a presenter on state television. Khamenei was injured during the initial Israeli strikes, which also claimed the lives of his father and other family members, as confirmed by Iranian officials and state media.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that US and Israeli strikes targeted parts of Tehran on Friday, causing homes to shake from the explosions. The Israeli military confirmed that Iran launched a series of missiles toward the country overnight, resulting in two injuries in the northern region.
Israel intensified its attacks on Beirut on Friday, threatening to extend operations into Lebanon and capture territory if Hezbollah did not cease its attacks. These strikes have led to hundreds of civilian deaths and approximately a million people being displaced.