U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said the crash in western Iraq on Thursday followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in "friendly airspace" and that the other plane landed safely. The crash brings the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members, with the seven others killed in combat.
Central Command is aware of the loss of a US KC-135 refueling aircraft. The incident involved two aircraft operating in friendly airspace in support of Epic Fury. One aircraft went down in western Iraq, while a second unidentified aircraft landed safely. The aircraft loss was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.