The downing of a U.S. KC-135 Stratotanker tanker in western Iraq has become the center of a war of narratives. This Friday, the coalition of militias known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the downing, in direct contradiction to Washington’s official version, which rules out any enemy attack as the cause of the incident.
Mixed versions: Attack or accident?
Through a statement released on Telegram, the Tehran-backed armed group claimed to have intercepted the aircraft with air defense systems.
According to their version, a second aircraft was also attacked and forced to make an emergency landing at what they described as “an enemy airport”.
On the contrary, the U. S. Central Command (Centcom) maintains the position issued since Thursday: the incident occurred in “allied airspace” and was not the product of hostile or friendly fire.
According to the Washington report, the second aircraft involved managed to land safely in Israeli territory after the technical mishap.
Iran reports the death of six military personnel
The Iranian government, through the Khatam al-Anbiya Unified Operations Command, backed the militias’ version, claiming that a missile hit the aircraft while it was refueling a fighter jet.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later stated that the entire crew of six died on the spot.
Despite these statements, the Pentagon has remained tight-lipped about the number of casualties, limiting itself to reporting that rescue efforts in the area of the impact continue to be active.
Who is the Islamic Resistance in Iraq?
This organization groups various armed factions, predominantly Shiite, formally integrated into the Iraqi Armed Forces since 2016 under the Popular Mobilization Forces.
However, the United States has designated several of these militias as terrorist organizations due to their constant attacks against U.S. interests in the region, an activity that has intensified since the beginning of the current offensive against Iran.
The incident underscores the dangerousness of airspace in western Iraq, where the air defense capabilities of pro-Iranian groups pose a latent threat to the logistical operations of the U.S.-led coalition.
Filed under: KC-135 tanker aircraft
