U.S. Military Refueling Plane Crashes Over Iraq in Fourth Aircraft Loss Since Iran War Began

Since the U.S.-Israel war on Iran began, three F-15 fighters have already been lost to friendly fire from Kuwait's air defenses. Now, a fourth aircraft has been lost, a KC-135 military refueling plane, valued at $39.6 million as of 1998, which went down over western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury. U.S. Central Command confirmed the crash involved two aircraft, with the second landing safely, and stated the incident was "not due to hostile or enemy fire." It remained unclear how many service members were on board. Iran-backed militia group the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility. Iran's security chief, Ali Larijani, warned the U.S. would be made "sorry" for starting the war, while Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, demanded all U.S. military bases in the Middle East close immediately, warning they "will be attacked."