Pentagon confirms four dead, two unaccounted for after military refueling aircraft goes down in western Iraq; officials rule out hostile fire

Four U.S. crew members are dead after a KC-135 aerial refueling tanker crashed in western Iraq, the Pentagon confirmed, pushing the American military death toll from Iran-linked operations to at least 11.

The aircraft went down during active operations, one of two U.S. tankers flying the mission. The second landed safely. Of the six crew members aboard the stricken aircraft, four have been confirmed killed — the fate of the remaining two has not been publicly disclosed as recovery operations continue.

Early assessments rule out both hostile and friendly fire, with officials pointing to a possible mechanical failure or accident as the likely cause.

The crash is the latest blow to U.S. forces operating in the region. Beyond the 11 service members now confirmed dead, more than 140 troops have been wounded across the theater in Iranian-linked attacks and operations — a casualty count that underscores the mounting human cost of the conflict.

This is a developing story…