Two Additional U.S. Soldiers Confirmed Dead

Six American service members were killed when a U.S. refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during a mission tied to Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Central Command confirmed Friday.

The KC-135 aircraft went down Thursday while flying in friendly airspace, according to a CENTCOM statement, marking one of the deadliest single incidents for U.S. forces during the operation.

“All six crew members aboard a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft that went down in western Iraq are now confirmed deceased. The aircraft was lost while flying over friendly airspace March 12 during Operation Epic Fury,” the command said.

Officials said the crash does not appear to be connected to enemy action.

“The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” CENTCOM added. “The identities of the service members are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth earlier praised the fallen airmen, calling them “American heroes.”

The crash pushes the total number of U.S. troops killed in action during Operation Epic Fury to 13 as American forces continue operations in the region.

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President Donald Trump struck a hard-line tone Friday, vowing sharp punishment for Iran as the U.S. and Israel continue operations against the IRI’s military and leadership.

“We are totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran, militarily, economically, and otherwise, yet, if you read the Failing New York Times, you would incorrectly think that we are not winning,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

His post came one day after The New York Times published a critical report headlined, How Trump and His Advisers Miscalculated Iran’s Response to War.

Trump argued the battlefield picture is moving decisively in the opposite direction.

“Iran’s Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth. We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time,” he wrote.

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