- Six US service members died when a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft crashed in western Iraq, bringing the total US fatalities in Operation Epic Fury to 13.
- US Central Command initially said four service members had died and that a rescue mission was ongoing. The military confirmed later Friday that six military members were killed.
- The crash was not due to hostile or friendly fire, with a mid-air collision suspected as the cause.
- The incident occurred during Operation Epic Fury, a joint US-Israeli airstrike campaign against Iran, with a second KC-135 safely landing in Israel.
- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine paid tribute to the victims, reiterating that the incident was not a hostile act. Despite US denials, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed group, claimed responsibility for downing the aircraft.
IN FULL
