Four crew members killed as US Stratotanker crashes in Iraq

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News Desk: The US Central Command, responsible for operations in Iraq, has reported that four of the six crew members aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker were killed when the aircraft crashed in western Iraq. Operations are ongoing to locate the remaining two crew members.
Al Jazeera reported on Friday that the four crew members had died.
While the exact cause of the crash has not been confirmed, an earlier statement suggested that loss of control after two aircraft came into close proximity or collided may have led to the KC-135’s crash. The second aircraft landed safely, according to the command.
The US Central Command clarified that the crash was not caused by enemy fire or accidental attack by allied forces. However, the Iran-backed armed group, Islamic Resistance in Iraq, has claimed responsibility, saying it shot down the KC-135.
These refueling Stratotankers play a critical role in military air operations. In a statement on their Telegram channel, Islamic Resistance claimed that their fighters targeted the aircraft using air defense systems, leading to its crash.
Earlier in the conflict, three US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were downed over Qatar. Washington later claimed that these were accidentally hit due to errors in Kuwaiti air defense systems, amidst a series of missile and drone attacks by Iran in response to US-Israel strikes across the Middle East.