A United States Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker plane crashed in western Iraq. This happened during a mission called "Operation Epic Fury." U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the incident. The plane was in friendly airspace when it went down.
A militant group called the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" said they destroyed the plane. They claim to have used an anti-aircraft missile. This is a different story than the official report. CENTCOM said rescue operations started immediately.
The militant group also said all the crew members died. This contradicts the U.S. military's statement. They do not think enemy fire caused the crash. Information in the region can be very difficult to understand.
The KC-135 is important for refueling other aircraft. This allows them to fly longer missions. Another plane was with the KC-135. It landed safely. The crew of the crashed plane is still a big worry.
This crash happens during a difficult time in the Middle East. The United States, Israel, and Iran have many problems. The U.S. military has already lost seven service members. They also had 140 injuries.
This is the fourth U.S. military plane lost since February. Three F-15 jets were lost before this. They were accidentally shot down by friendly fire. The U.S. military still says no enemy fire caused the KC-135 crash. Rescue teams are working hard to find out what happened.