ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – With the US military announcing the loss of a refueling aircraft over Iraq, Tehran shortly after claimed responsibility through its proxies in Iraq, alleging that all US crew members were “killed,” a claim denied by the pro-Iran Islamic Resistance in Iraq.

Late Thursday, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced “the loss of a US KC-135 refueling aircraft,” describing the incident as a “friendly airspace” and stressing that “rescue efforts are ongoing.,”

“Two aircraft were involved in the incident,” the statement said, while noting that “one of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely.”

“This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” CENTCOM noted.

Shortly after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters claimed that a US military refueling plane was “hit by a missile” by its proxy groups in western Iraq and crashed, noting that the attack resulted in “killing all its crew,” the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported.

The pro-Iran Islamic Resistance in Iraq shortly after claimed responsibility for the incident. 

"In defense of our country's sovereignty and its airspace ... the Islamic Resistance in Iraq shot down a KC-135 aircraft belonging to the American occupation in western Iraq, using appropriate weaponry," the group said in a statement.

A second statement claimed that a second KC-135 was later hit but "managed to escape" and land at an "enemy" airport.

Unconfirmed images circulated on social media purported to show a damaged US aircraft at an airport in Tel Aviv.

The pro-Iran umbrella group did not mention the killing of its members despite the IRGC’s claim.

Since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have been repeatedly targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes, with US military bases and diplomatic facilities proving attractive targets for both Tehran and pro-Iran militias operating in the country.

Groups operating under the label of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella of pro-Iran factions within the country, have claimed responsibility for many of the attacks.

On Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani held a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, telling him that Iranian strikes on Iraqi territory are "unacceptable" and Iraq will not be used as a "launching pad" for attacks on its neighbor.