A United States military refueling aircraft has gone down in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, with rescue efforts launched immediately after the crash, which the military said was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.

US Central Command confirmed that two aircraft were involved in the incident, describing the downed plane as “a loss.” The second aircraft landed safely. “The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,” a spokesperson said. “One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely.”

Both planes are understood to have been KC-135 tanker aircraft, according to a US official who reportedly spoke on condition of anonymity. A KC-135 typically requires a three-person crew. A separate KC-135 declared an emergency before attempting to land in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening, according to flight tracking platform FlightRadar24.

Central Command asked for patience as the situation developed. “We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members,” it said.

Fourth crash of the operation

Thursday’s incident marks the fourth aircraft lost during US military operations against Iran, reports the Daily Mail. Last week the military confirmed that three American F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly downed by friendly fire over Kuwait. All six crew members ejected safely and were recovered in stable condition.

The human cost of the conflict continues to mount. Seven American troops have been killed in combat since the war began — six when an Iranian drone struck an operations centre at a civilian port in Kuwait, and a seventh who died after being wounded in an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Around 140 US service members have been wounded, eight of them severely, according to Pentagon figures released earlier this week.

Iran denies mining Hormuz

Iran pushed back on Thursday against claims it had been laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, with deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi insisting: “Some countries have already talked to us about passing the Strait and we have cooperated with them.” He issued a pointed warning to nations that had “joined the aggression,” however, saying they should not expect to “benefit from safe passage.”

The denial came as a BBC expert warned that Iran’s arsenal of unmanned naval attack drones — which Tehran has described as “huge” — could cause serious disruption to shipping. BBC diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams said: “If [Iran] can continue to deploy them without being detected and destroyed, then its ability to create havoc in one of the world’s most important waterways could last for some time.”

‘Moving very rapidly’

As the operation entered its third week, Donald Trump projected confidence from the White House on Thursday. “The situation with Iran is moving along very rapidly.

“It’s doing very well, our military is unsurpassed,” he said. “They really are a nation of terror and hate, and they’re paying a big price right now.”

Tehran’s newly installed leader struck a defiant tone in his first public message, vowing the country would not be broken by the American-Israeli assault.