Four U.S. Service Members Killed in Iraq Aircraft Crash as Iran War Widens, Hormuz Disruption Deepens and Oil Tops $100
Four U.S. service members were killed when a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq during operations tied to the war with Iran, with two crew members still unaccounted for as rescue efforts continued. U.S. Central Command said the incident involved two aircraft, occurred in friendly airspace, and was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire. The crash, coming during a refueling mission over one of the war’s most active operating zones, is the most serious new U.S. military loss reported Friday and adds to a growing list of American incidents since the campaign began on Feb. 28.
2026-03-13 16:37:59 - VI News Staff
The broader U.S. toll has continued to rise. The Pentagon now puts the number of wounded U.S. service members at about 140, with 108 already returned to duty and eight still severely injured. At least seven U.S. troops had been killed in the conflict before the Iraq crash. The strain on U.S. forces has not been limited to battlefield attacks: three U.S. F-15E fighter jets were previously lost in an apparent friendly-fire incident over Kuwait, though all six crew members survived, and the Washington Post reported that a fire aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford injured two sailors while the carrier supported operations connected to the Iran war.
Even with those setbacks, Washington and Israel have kept up a high tempo of strikes. U.S. and Israeli attacks have continued across Iran and against Hezbollah in Lebanon, while top U.S. officials have signaled no immediate retreat. Reuters also reported earlier that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said one day this week would be the “most intense day of strikes” yet, while Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said U.S. forces were hunting Iranian mine-laying vessels and had already struck thousands of targets during the campaign. President Donald Trump said Friday he believes Iran’s new supreme leader is alive but “damaged,” another sign that U.S. rhetoric remains openly escalatory even as officials also continue to float the possibility of talks.
Iran, for its part, has continued striking back. Reuters reported Friday that Iran is still carrying out missile and drone attacks on Israel while also threatening U.S.-aligned Gulf states and U.S. military bases across the region. Iranian attacks have included strikes targeting Gulf shipping and energy infrastructure, while regional militaries have been intercepting some of the projectiles over multiple countries. The conflict is no longer confined to Iran and Israel; it now touches Iraq, Lebanon and Gulf states, with military and economic effects spreading outward.