Rescue teams were deployed after a US military refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during an operation linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
According to United States Central Command, the aircraft involved was a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker that went down during a mission carried out under Operation Epic Fury. Officials said the incident occurred in friendly airspace and was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.
At least five crew members were believed to be onboard the aircraft. Search and rescue teams were launched immediately to locate and extract the crew, though their condition has not been confirmed.
The crash took place in Iraq’s western desert, an area where several armed groups aligned with Iran are known to operate. The region has also seen repeated military activity since the conflict involving Iran escalated earlier this year.
The incident marks another aircraft loss since the conflict intensified following strikes on Iran earlier this year. Military officials have warned that operations in the region remain highly volatile as tensions continue to rise.