A U.S. military refueling plane crashed in western Iraq and efforts were underway to rescue those on board, Central Command said Thursday.
The crash of the Boeing KC-135 jet, which comes in the second week of a war on Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel, was not a result of enemy or friendly fire, Central Command said in a statement that made no mention of any casualties.
“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,” it said.
A second aircraft involved in the crash landed without incident, the military said.
The crash is the fourth since the start of the war. Three U.S. fighter jets were accidentally shot down by Kuwait during the initial phase of the conflict. All six crew members safely ejected.
The Pentagon has said seven U.S. service members have died in the war and approximately 140 have been wounded.
President Donald Trump has sent conflicting signals in recent days about his expectations for the war after initially projecting the U.S. could continue attacking Iran for “four to five weeks.” He told CBS News on Monday that the war was “very complete,” just a day after he told GOP lawmakers in Florida that “we haven’t won enough” in Iran.
“The situation with Iran is moving along very rapidly,” Trump said Thursday during an event at the White House.
