Iraqi Resistance Claims Downing US Plane in Western Iraq – Updates

An Iraqi group calling itself the Islamic Resistance announced early Friday it had downed a U.S. KC-135 aircraft and targeted another in western Iraq. The group stated in a release that the second plane “made an emergency landing at one of the enemy’s airports, and its crew was able to escape.”

According to Israel’s Channel 12, the second aircraft, a refueling plane, landed at Ben Gurion Airport.

Earlier, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the crash of a refueling aircraft in western Iraq, stating the incident was not the result of “enemy fire or friendly fire,” and that rescue efforts were underway.

In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said the aircraft was a KC-135 and went down while flying “in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Anger against Iran.”

The statement clarified that the incident involved two aircraft, one of which crashed in western Iraq, and the other landed safely.

A U.S. Official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the aircraft was carrying six service members.

KC-135 aircraft, originally designed by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, are the backbone of the U.S. Military’s aerial refueling fleet and are essential for enabling aircraft to continue missions without needing to land for fuel.

In a previous statement, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced it had downed a KC-135 aircraft belonging to the U.S. Military in western Iraq “with appropriate weapons.”

The group also said it carried out 31 operations with drones and missiles against American bases in Iraq and the region over the past 24 hours.

Iranian television reported, citing Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, that a U.S. Plane was shot down in western Iraq “with missiles from resistance factions,” confirming the deaths of its crew.

Seven U.S. Service members have been killed since the United States and Israel began launching strikes on Iran on February 28.

Reuters reported Tuesday that up to 150 U.S. Service members have been injured in the fighting.

This development comes amid escalating attacks on Iran as part of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war that began on February 28, and attacks by Tehran on Gulf states, Iraq, and Jordan under the pretext of “targeting American bases,” with armed Iraqi factions announcing the targeting of bases within Iraq as well. The incident highlights the increasing volatility in the Middle East and the potential for further escalation.