The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said on March 13, 2026, that B-2 stealth bombers have launched as part of Operation Epic Fury while confirming that a US KC-135 refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on March 12, killing all six crew members aboard. CENTCOM said the bomber sortie was intended to deliver long-range firepower to “eliminate the threat from the Iranian regime” and to prevent Tehran from rebuilding its capabilities.
In a post on X on March 13, CENTCOM said, “B-2 stealth bombers takeoff to conduct a mission during Operation Epic Fury, delivering long-range fire to not only eliminate the threat from the Iranian regime today, but also eliminate their ability to rebuild in the future.” The command described the strikes as part of a campaign targeting elements of Iran’s security apparatus that it says pose imminent threats.
CENTCOM’s March 12 statement on the KC-135 crash said the aircraft was lost while flying over friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury and that the circumstances are under investigation. The command added that two aircraft were involved in the incident: one went down in western Iraq and the second landed safely. CENTCOM repeatedly said the loss was “not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”
All six service members aboard the tanker were confirmed dead; CENTCOM said their names would be withheld until at least 24 hours after next-of-kin notifications are completed. Officials have not released further operational details while the probe continues.
Iranian state media and allied sources offered a different account. Citing a spokesman for Iran’s military Central Headquarters and reports on state outlet Press TV, they claimed the refuelling plane was struck by a missile fired by resistance groups in western Iraq. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ public relations arm also said resistance air-defence units had targeted a KC-135 while it was refuelling an “aggressor” fighter jet.
The competing accounts remain unresolved as US military investigators continue to examine the loss of the KC-135 and as CENTCOM carries out Operation Epic Fury operations in the region.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/iran-war-us-deploys-b-2-bombers-for-operation-against-iran-11213058#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-03-14 02:42:00
