No deaths have been reported so far, but the military said two planes were involved in the crash, one of which landed safely.
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Published March 12, 2026
The United States has acknowledged that one of its planes crashed in western Iraq during a joint military offensive with Israel against Iran.
U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East and parts of Asia, issued a brief statement Thursday announcing the plane crash.
It was not immediately clear whether there were any fatalities or survivors.
“U.S. Central Command is aware of the loss of a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft,” the statement said.
“This incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts continue.”
The statement appeared to suggest that two planes were involved in the crash, and that they may have collided or performed a close maneuver. The second plane “landed safely,” the statement said.
“This is not due to hostile or friendly fire,” the statement added.
Before the plane crash, the U.S. military had reported that seven service members had been killed in ongoing military operations. Overall, another 140 people were injured, with eight seriously injured, according to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.
This is breaking news. Details will be announced later.
