KC-135 Stratotanker Goes Down In Western Iraq
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft has crashed in western Iraq during ongoing combat operations as part of Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Thursday evening.
The incident occurred in “friendly airspace” and was “not due to hostile or friendly fire,” according to CENTCOM’s official statement. Two aircraft were reportedly involved in the incident — one went down in western Iraq while the second landed safely. Rescue efforts are currently ongoing, and casualties remain unclear.
The KC-135 Stratotanker is the backbone of America’s aerial refueling fleet, enabling fighter jets, bombers, and other aircraft to sustain the relentless pace of strikes that have defined Operation Epic Fury since it began on February 28. The loss of a tanker aircraft — even to a non-combat incident — underscores the immense operational strain being placed on U.S. forces as the air campaign enters its 13th day.
Iran Laying Mines In Strait Of Hormuz — Oil Hits $100
In what may be the most economically devastating escalation yet, U.S. officials confirmed Thursday that Iran has begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Persian Gulf chokepoint through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes daily.
The mining campaign comes on top of Iran’s ongoing attacks on commercial shipping vessels. According to CNBC, three more ships were struck in the Persian Gulf on Thursday alone, with Iran warning the world to “prepare for $200 oil prices.”
The impact on global markets has been immediate and severe. Brent crude surged past the $100 per barrel mark — its highest level since 2022 — while West Texas Intermediate climbed to $97.85 per barrel. Goldman Sachs warned earlier this week that prices could reach $150 per barrel by month’s end if the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively shut.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Sky News that the U.S. Navy, “perhaps with an international coalition,” will escort commercial vessels through the strait “when it is militarily possible.” But that timeline remains unclear, and every day the strait stays closed, the global economy bleeds.
Netanyahu Reveals Israeli Strikes Killed Top Iranian Nuclear Scientists
In his first press conference since the war began, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dropped a bombshell revelation: Israeli strikes have killed top Iranian nuclear scientists as part of a deliberate campaign to dismantle Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
Netanyahu stated that the strikes aim to prevent Iran from moving its nuclear and ballistic missile projects further underground — a long-standing Israeli red line. He also threatened Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed power after his father Ali Khamenei was killed in the initial February 28 strikes.
“At the end of the day, it depends on you. It is in your hands,” Netanyahu said, addressing the Iranian people directly and calling on them to take to the streets. He confirmed that he and President Trump speak daily and “freely” about the campaign’s progress.
The revelation about nuclear scientists being targeted marks a significant escalation in the stated objectives of the combined U.S.-Israeli operation, which initially focused on military and missile infrastructure.
New Supreme Leader Vows To Fight On
Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Iran’s Supreme Leader after the February 28 strikes, delivered his first public address on Thursday, vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and continue attacks on U.S. bases in the region.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has characterized the succession as a “dynastic succession” that highlights the “deep crisis of clerical power.” NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi said the regime had “placed the leader’s son on the throne” in a desperate attempt to maintain legitimacy.
Meanwhile, an adviser to the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed Thursday that Tehran possesses “advanced generations of missiles it has not yet deployed” and has the capability to sustain a prolonged war. Iran has already fired over 500 ballistic missiles since the conflict began, though analysts note the rate of launches has decreased significantly — suggesting depletion of stockpiles rather than strategic restraint.
Large-Scale Strikes Hit Tehran As War Enters Day 13
The Israeli military announced Thursday night that it had launched a “large scale” wave of airstrikes on the Iranian capital, Tehran. Air defense systems were activated across multiple areas of the city, according to Mehr, Iran’s semi-official news agency.
The combined U.S.-Israeli force has now conducted over 6,000 airstrikes since Operation Epic Fury began, targeting everything from missile sites and nuclear facilities to IRGC headquarters, Basij bases, and internal security infrastructure.
Israel also launched fresh strikes on Beirut, targeting Hezbollah-linked positions in Lebanon as part of the broader regional campaign against Iran’s “Axis of Resistance.”
President Trump told reporters Thursday that the war is “moving along very rapidly” and “doing very well,” calling Iran “a nation of terror and hate” that is “paying a big price right now.”
The Human And Economic Toll
Thirteen days into the conflict, the costs are mounting on all sides:
- Casualties: Nearly 2,000 people have been killed, including 175 Iranian schoolchildren and seven U.S. service members. At least 140 U.S. service members have been wounded, several critically.
- Financial cost: The Pentagon has revealed a staggering $11.3 billion price tag for the first 13 days of operations.
- Oil markets: Crude has surged past $100 per barrel with Goldman Sachs warning of $150 oil if Hormuz stays shut.
- Global shipping: Iran has attacked multiple commercial vessels, targeted Dubai International Airport — the world’s busiest — and struck fuel storage facilities in Oman.
- Regional spillover: An Iranian drone struck the UK’s RAF base in Cyprus. U.S. embassies in Gulf states have closed. Iran continues retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases in Kuwait, Iraq, and other allied nations.
The U.S. has ordered a release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a bid to calm markets, but analysts say it’s a bandage on a bullet wound as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains contested.
What Happens Next?
The conflict shows no signs of de-escalation. Iran’s new leadership has doubled down on its vow to keep Hormuz closed and continue retaliatory strikes. The U.S. and Israel are expanding their target sets to include nuclear scientists and regime infrastructure, suggesting the goal has shifted from degrading military capability to full-scale regime change.
The KC-135 crash in Iraq — while not combat-related — highlights the operational tempo that cannot be sustained indefinitely. The air campaign requires constant refueling support, and the loss of even a single tanker strains an already stretched logistics chain.
With oil at $100 and climbing, global markets in freefall, and Iran threatening $200 per barrel, the economic fallout may ultimately prove as consequential as the military campaign itself. The question is no longer just how the war ends — but what the world looks like when it does.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as the situation evolves.