The U.S. death toll in President Donald Trump’s war with Iran climbed to 13 after all six service members aboard an American refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq were confirmed dead Friday.
According to the Daily Mail, the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker went down in western Iraq on Thursday after a collision in what U.S. Central Command described as “friendly airspace.” Four crew members were initially confirmed dead, and rescue efforts for the remaining two later failed.
CentCom said the second aircraft involved in the collision landed safely with minor damage to the tip of its tail. Officials also said the deadly incident was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire.
The six crew members have not yet been publicly identified because military officials are still notifying next of kin. Their deaths mark another major loss as the conflict continues to expand.
Per the Daily Mail, the six deaths now bring the total number of American troops killed in the Iran war to 13. Seven other U.S. service members were already killed earlier in the fighting, including troops hit in a drone strike on a base in Kuwait.
The report said the war is also leaving behind a growing number of wounded. The Pentagon confirmed this week that 140 service members have been injured so far, though officials claimed many of those injuries were minor and have since been resolved.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke to reporters Friday and spent much of the briefing attacking media coverage of the war. He mocked what he called “fake headlines” and insisted the U.S. is still in control even as the region grows more unstable.
Hegseth also claimed the U.S. would hit Iran with the “heaviest” firepower since the war began. He said Iran has “no air defenses,” “no Air Force,” and “no Navy,” while insisting the regime’s missiles, launchers, and drones are being destroyed.
But even with that rhetoric, serious pressure points remain. One of the biggest is the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical oil shipping routes in the world.
The Daily Mail reported that gas prices in the U.S. have now climbed to an average of $3.60 a gallon, up from $2.90 before the war. Officials also told the Wall Street Journal that Hegseth approved the deployment of a Marine expeditionary unit to the strait.
That deployment reportedly includes the Japan-based USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, along with attached Marines heading toward the Middle East. The move signals that the administration expects the crisis to deepen, not cool off.
Meanwhile, Iran is projecting defiance. Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani reportedly marched with crowds in Tehran on the last day of Ramadan and taunted Trump, saying the American president “didn’t realize” Iran is “mature and determined.”
Fresh attacks were also reported elsewhere in the region.
The Daily Mail said Iran launched new strikes on Dubai’s International Finance Centre, with explosions rocking the city and smoke rising above the skyline.
Trump previously acknowledged in a call with the outlet that more Americans could die in the war.
“They’re great people,” Trump said of the fallen troops. He then added, “And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. Could happen continuous – it could happen again.”
That line will likely draw even more scrutiny now that six more U.S. troops are dead after a fatal crash in Iraq. With casualties rising, gas prices climbing, and more military assets pouring into the region, this war is getting more costly by the day.
