All six service members aboard an American refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq on Thursday have died.
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker went down in western Iraq, with four crew members initially confirmed dead, after a collision in friendly airspace at around 2pm ET Thursday.
US Central Command confirmed Friday that two other crew members were dead after rescue efforts failed. The second plane involved in the collision landed safely with minor damage to the tip of its tail.
The six crew members were not immediately identified as the military informs next of kin. It brings the US death toll in the Iran war to 13 troops after seven service members were killed in a drone strike on a Kuwaiti base on the second day of fighting.
The conflict spiraled on Friday as Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani defiantly taunted Donald Trump on the streets of Tehran, gas prices climbed to $3.60 a gallon and the US deployed a Marine expeditionary force to the Strait of Hormuz.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lashed out at reporters at a press briefing at the Pentagon, slamming ‘fake headlines’ about the war and claiming ‘we’re dealing with’ the Strait, adding ‘you don’t need to worry about it.’
Hegseth approved the deployment of a Marine expeditionary unit, usually consisting of multiple warships and 5,000 Marines, to the strait, officials told the Wall Street Journal.
The Japan-based USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, and its attached Marines are now headed for the Middle East.
Hegseth spent his briefing lecturing the press about unfavorable headlines while refusing to answer questions about the military’s plan to curb the Islamic regime’s efforts to deepen the global oil crisis.
‘Some in the press just can’t stop. Allow me to make a few suggestions. People look at the TV and they see banners, headlines – I used to be in that business, I know everything is written intentionally,’ said the former Fox News star.
‘For example, a banner – “Mideast War Intensifies.” What should the banner read instead? How about, “Iran increasingly desperate,” because they are. Or more fake news from CNN. The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.’
Hegseth claimed the US military would hit Iran today with the ‘heaviest’ firepower since the start of the war. He said the US maintains aerial and naval superiority over the Islamic regime.
When asked by the Daily Mail why the US military cannot protect the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes, from Iranian attacks, Hegseth dodged the question.
‘We planned for it. We recognize it. Um, because ultimately, we want to do it sequentially in a way that makes the most sense for what we want to achieve,’ Hegseth said.
Hegseth then pivoted to criticizing the press again and insisted that the US is on track to ‘defeat, destroy and disable’ Iran’s military.
Still, the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil flows, remains under siege. Gas prices have hit $3.60 per gallon on average in the US, up from $2.90 before the war, according to AAA.
Meanwhile, Iran is claiming that the country and its leadership persist.
Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, marched with crowds in Tehran demonstrating against Israel on the last day of Ramadan. He taunted Trump, claiming the US President ‘didn’t realize’ Iran is ‘mature and determined’.
Iran launched fresh attacks on Dubai’s International Finance Centre as explosions rocked the city with thick smoke rising above its skyline.
Trump acknowledged on a call with the Daily Mail earlier this month that more troops would die in the war with Iran. At the time of the call, the confirmed death toll was three.
The Pentagon confirmed this week that 140 service members have been injured in the conflict so far, but claimed that many of those were minor injuries that have since been resolved.
Trump flew to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware last week for the dignified transfer of the service members returning to US soil in caskets.
The six Americans who were killed during the second day of conflict were Army reservists with the 103rd Sustainment Command based out of Des Moines, Iowa.
Nicole Amor, 39, Cody Khork, 35, Declan Coady, 20, Robert Marzan, 54, Jeffrey O’Brien, 45 and Noah Tietjens, 42, died in the war.
The seventh US service member killed in the war was identified as Benjamin Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky. He was assigned to 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, in Fort Carson, Colorado.
Details on the recent six deceased are expected to be released in the next 24 hours.
‘They’re great people,’ the President said of the deceased on his call with the Daily Mail this month. ‘And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. Could happen continuous[ly] – it could happen again.’
Hegseth on Friday dared new Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to appear on camera amid rumors he is ‘disfigured’ or even dead, which were only fueled by an Iranian TV anchor reading out a statement on state TV on Thursday rather than the new Supreme Leader appearing himself.
‘Iran’s leadership is in no better shape,’ Hegseth claimed. ‘Desperate and hiding, they have gone underground, cowering. That’s what rats do.’
‘We know the new so-called not-so-Supreme Leader is wounded and likely disfigured,’ he added.
