U.S. military refueling plane goes down over Iraq

Published March 12, 2026 5:23 PM

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A U.S. military refueling plane involved in the operations in the Middle East went down over Iraq on Thursday.

U.S. Central Command said in a statement that the downing was not from hostile or friendly fire.

"The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing," Central Command wrote in a statement Thursday afternoon.

One of the KC-135 Stratotankers went down in western Iraq. Another made it safely to the ground.

Check back for updates to this developing story.

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Matthew Sanders

Matthew Sanders is the digital content director at ABC 17 News.

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