The latest tragedy in Operation Epic Fury – the escalating war against Iran: A KC-135 Stratotanker – the giant “flying gas station” of the U.S. Air Force – crashed in western Iraq on March 12, 2026.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) officially confirmed:

Two KC-135s were conducting an aerial refueling mission in friendly airspace.

One collided mid-air and crashed into the desert in western Iraq.

The other, despite being severely damaged (losing half of its vertical tail), landed safely at Ben Gurion Air Base (Tel Aviv).

All six crew members on board the crashed aircraft were killed – confirmed on March 13.

CENTCOM emphasized clearly: Neither enemy fire nor friendly fire was responsible. The cause is under urgent investigation, but numerous military sources and video analysis suggest it was most likely a collision during refueling – an extremely complex operation requiring millimeter precision when two “monsters” are flying just meters apart at speeds of hundreds of kilometers per hour.

The KC-135 Stratotanker is the backbone of the US Air Force in the Middle East:

It carries tens of tons of fuel, continuously resupplying F-35s, B-2s, F-22s, etc., during deep penetration missions into Iran.

Losing one means greater pressure on the remaining squadrons, especially when the operation is at its peak.

Although the US insists it was not sH๏τ down, the “Iraqi Islamic Resistance” (an Iranian-backed alliance) quickly claimed responsibility, stating they used “appropriate weapons” to shoot it down – a claim completely rejected by the US.

This is the fourth American military aircraft lost since the Iran war broke out, a reminder that even in “safe airspace,” risks always lurk.