New Delhi, Mar 13: The conflict centred on Iran widened further on Friday with fresh military incidents across West Asia, including the crash of a US refuelling aircraft in Iraq, killing four of its occupants, a deadly drone attack on French forces and continued missile exchanges between Iran and Israel. Dubai once again was targeted.
The US military confirmed that a KC-135 refuelling aircraft went down in western Iraq following an incident involving two aircraft. The second plane landed safely. The aircraft was operating in what the military described as friendly airspace, and early assessments indicated the crash was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire. Rescue operations are continuing as officials attempt to determine the cause of the incident and the fate of the crew.
Us Central Command in a message on X said “Four Confirmed Deceased in Loss of U.S. KC-135 Over Iraq TAMPA, Fla. – At approximately 2 pm ET on March 12, a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq. Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue. The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire. The identities of the service members are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified.”
The KC-135 is a key aerial refuelling tanker used by the US Air Force to extend the range of combat aircraft. The plane typically carries a crew of three and forms part of a fleet of nearly 400 tanker aircraft operated by Air Mobility Command.
The crash adds to a series of operational pressures facing US forces deployed across the region as the war intensifies.
A separate security incident struck coalition forces in northern Iraq when a French soldier was killed in a drone attack in the Erbil region of the Kurdistan area. Several other French troops were injured in the strike and were transported to a nearby medical facility. France maintains hundreds of soldiers in the region as part of the international coalition against the militant group Islamic State.
The attack occurred near Erbil, a strategic hub for coalition operations located roughly 115 kilometres from the Iranian border. It marks the first French military death linked to the broader war with Iran and underscores the widening geographic footprint of the conflict.
Meanwhile, the war continued to spill across several fronts. Iranian missile attacks and allied militia strikes have targeted Israeli territory, with a missile impact reported in the northern Israeli town of Zarzir injuring dozens of people and damaging residential buildings. Emergency services said multiple casualties were caused by shrapnel and flying debris, while fires triggered by the strike were later contained.
The barrage formed part of what Iranian forces described as a new wave of missile operations against Israeli targets and US military facilities in the region. Iranian-backed groups have also claimed a series of coordinated attacks on US bases across Iraq.
At sea, tensions continued to rise around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil normally flows. Since the start of hostilities, more than a dozen oil tankers and cargo vessels have been struck in the Gulf, intensifying fears of a major disruption to global energy supplies.
The threat to maritime routes gained further urgency after a message attributed to Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, signalled that Tehran intends to keep the strait closed as a strategic pressure point. The statement, read on Iranian state media, was the first public communication linked to Khamenei since he succeeded his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed earlier in the conflict.
Iranian military leaders have also warned that energy infrastructure across the region could be targeted if Iranian oil facilities continue to be attacked, raising the spectre of further shocks to the global energy market.
The United States and Israel have meanwhile continued to expand their air campaign. American officials say more than 6,000 targets inside Iran have been struck since operations began, including command centres, missile facilities, naval vessels and air defence systems. Around 60 ships and dozens of minelaying vessels have been damaged or destroyed in the strikes.
The conflict has also spread to Lebanon, where Israeli forces have launched new strikes against positions linked to Hezbollah in the suburbs of Beirut. The attacks are part of preparations for a possible expansion of military operations against the Iran-backed group.
Regional air defences have been increasingly active as the war spreads. Saudi Arabia reported intercepting multiple drones over its eastern provinces, while other Gulf states have heightened alert levels amid concerns that energy facilities or shipping lanes could be targeted. Dubai, for the third time since the beginning of the war, witnessed an attack on a civilian building
The humanitarian toll of the war is also mounting rapidly. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that more than 3.2 million people have already been displaced within Iran since the US-Israeli campaign began in late February. Aid agencies warn that the fighting risks triggering a wider regional crisis if hostilities continue to expand. With missile strikes, drone attacks and naval confrontations now unfolding simultaneously across several countries, the conflict shows little sign of easing, raising concerns that the war could evolve into a prolonged regional confrontation.
