Iran-Backed Group Claims Downing of U.S. KC-135 in Iraq as CENTCOM Denies Hostile Fire, Confirms Four Dead

Peregraf — An umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for downing a U.S. military refueling aircraft in western Iraq on Wednesday, stating the attack was carried out in defense of Iraqi sovereignty.

In a statement released Wednesday, the group said it had shot down a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker operating over western Iraq, describing the action as a response to what it called violations of the country's airspace.

"Today we targeted and downed a KC-135 aircraft in defense of our country's sovereignty and airspace," the statement read.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), however, gave a different account of the incident. According to CENTCOM, the aircraft was lost in an operational mishap while operating in friendly airspace as part of Operation Epic Fury, after a mid-air incident involving a second U.S. aircraft. One aircraft went down in western Iraq; the second landed safely.

CENTCOM confirmed that four of the six crew members on board have died, and search and rescue operations are ongoing. The identities of the service members are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified. Officials stated that the loss of the aircraft was not the result of hostile or friendly fire, directly contradicting the Islamic Resistance in Iraq's claim.

The KC-135 Stratotanker is a long-serving aerial refueling aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and allied forces, playing a critical role in extending the operational range of military aircraft during missions across the region.

The incident comes on Day 14 of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, amid a wave of drone and missile attacks targeting military installations and strategic sites across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in recent days. Investigations into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.