Overview
- Central Command said the KC-135 refueling tanker went down March 12 in western Iraq during operations, and a second KC-135 involved landed safely, reported to be in Israel.
- CENTCOM stated the loss occurred in friendly airspace, was not caused by hostile or friendly fire, and remains under investigation.
- The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed it shot down the aircraft, a contention U.S. officials dispute publicly.
- The fatalities raise the U.S. death toll in the campaign to at least 13, highlighting the operational strain of losing a key air-refueling asset.
- Regional combat operations continue, with the U.S. striking military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island and shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz keeping oil prices near $100 a barrel.