00:18Did Iran-backed militias just strike a U.S. Air Force aircraft over Iraq?
00:23Iraq's resistance factions claim they shot down a KC-135 Stratotanker,
00:30the plane responsible for mid-air refueling of U.S. strike jets.
00:34And that's not all.
00:36Another KC-135 was reportedly damaged in the same incident,
00:41raising alarms about escalating proxy involvement.
00:44On March 12, during Operation Epic Fury,
00:47which is the joint U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iranian targets,
00:51Iraqi-Iran-aligned militias claim to have taken direct action against U.S. air operations.
00:58According to these groups, a surface-to-air missile brought down one KC-135
01:04near the Iraqi-Jordanian border in Anbar Province,
01:08while a second tanker was damaged and had to make an emergency landing,
01:12reportedly at Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport.
01:15The Islamic resistance in Iraq, an umbrella of Iran-backed militias,
01:20including elements of the Popular Mobilization Forces,
01:23released statements via Telegram and other channels.
01:26They claimed their air defense units successfully targeted the refueling tanker,
01:31while it supported U.S. fighter jets in operations against Iran.
01:35Spokespeople said all six crew members aboard were killed,
01:39calling it a defense of Iraqi airspace against American aggression.
01:44Iranian media, including outlets linked to the IRGC,
01:48amplified the story, hailing it as a blow to U.S. overreach.
01:53Some reports specify a P-358 missile as the weapon used.
01:57The U.S. military, through CENTCOM, strongly denies hostile action.
02:02Officials insist the loss resulted from an accident involving two KC-135 aircraft
02:08in friendly airspace during mid-air refueling operations.
02:12CENTCOM confirmed one tanker went down,
02:15and the second, damaged but still airworthy, landed safely.
02:19Rescue efforts are ongoing in the Anbar Desert,
02:22with helicopters and allied units searching for the downed crew.
02:26Whether accidental or targeted,
02:28the incident highlights the risks of operating high-value assets
02:32like the KC-135 in contested airspace.
02:35Each tanker is worth tens of millions of dollars
02:39and is crucial for extending fighter and bomber missions.
02:42The alleged shoot-down also signals proxy forces increasing their role
02:47in the Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict,
02:50raising the stakes for U.S. operations in Iraq and the Gulf.
02:54With conflicting reports, the fog of war is thick.
02:57Pro-Iran channels celebrate this as a symbolic victory over U.S. air dominance,
03:03while U.S. officials caution that claims remain unverified in an active war zone.
03:09As investigations continue, the world watches closely.
03:12Was this a bold strike by Iran-backed militias,
03:16or an operational accident magnified by propaganda?
03:19Either way, the incident adds another layer of tension to an already volatile Middle East.
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