Trump’s Iran war death toll climbs to 13 after all crew onboard US refueling plane died in crash

All six service members aboard an American refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq on Thursday have died.

US Central Command, which initially confirmed four deaths, said there was no hostile or friendly fire that caused the collision in friendly airspace.

It brings the death toll of American troops in the Iran conflict to 13.

The second plane involved in the collision landed safely with minor damage to the tip of its tail.  

‘The circumstances of the incident are under investigation,’ CentCom wrote in a statement on what appears to be a deadly and unfortunate accident. The second plane involved in the mid-air crash landed safely. 

Identities of the recently deceased are being withheld until next of kind can be notified of their deaths in the line of service. 

After Operation Epic Fury began the weekend of February 28, the US announced that six US troops were killed in Iranian drone strikes on a US facility in Kuwait the day after the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

A seventh American service member was added to the toll due to injuries the service member sustained from an Iranian attack on a US base in Saudi Arabia. 

US Central Command confirmed that all six military crew members of a refueling mission died in a mid-air collision in ‘friendly airspace.’ Pictured in the US plane that survived the crash and landed safely with damage to its tail

Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Attorney General Pam Bondi are seen at the dignified transfer ceremony on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware

All six crew on the KC-135 refueling plane died, but CentCom says it was not due to hostile or friendly fire. Picture shows the second aircraft with damage to the tip of its tail

President Donald Trump acknowledged on a call with the Daily Mail earlier this month that more troops would die in the war on Iran. 

At the time of the call, the confirmed death toll was at three. Trump called the service members ‘true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives.’

‘They’re great people,’ the president said. ‘And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. Could happen continuous – it could happen again.’ 

‘Sadly, there will likely be more, before it ends. That’s the way it is. Likely be more,’ he said of potential casualties. 

The Pentagon confirmed this week that 140 service members have been injured in the conflict so far, but claimed on Friday 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 back 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 is expected to be released in the next 24 hours.  

Army Reserve Major Jeffrey O’Brien (left), 45 and Chief Warrant Officer Robert M Marzan (right), 54 

 Captain Cody A Khork (left), 35, and Sergeant 1st Class Nicole M Amor, 39 

Sergeant 1st Class Noah L Tietjens (left), 42, and Specialist Declan J Coady, 20

Sergeant Benjamin N. Pennington, of Glendale, Kentucky, died during an Iranian strike at the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 1

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth struck a victorious tone during Friday’s press briefing.

‘Iran has no air defenses. Iran has no Air Force. Iran has no Navy,’ Hegseth insisted to a room full of reporters at the Pentagon. ‘Their missiles, their missile launchers, and drones—are being destroyed or shot out of the sky. Their missiles volume is down 90 percent.’

He insisted that the US is on track to ‘defeat, destroy and disable’ Iran’s military. 

But Hegseth was furious that Iran continues to fire at ships trying to pass through the waterway that flows out of the Persian Gulf into the Gulf of Oman – the Strait of Hormuz. 

‘That’s not a Strait we’re going to allow to remain contested with a lack of flow of commercial goods,’ the Pentagon chief assured. 

He also 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 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.

Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani marched with crowds in Tehran on the last day of Ramadan on March 13, 2026. He claimed Trump ‘didn’t realize’ Iran is ‘mature and determined’ when he decided to attack

Meanwhile, Iran is claiming the country and its leadership persists. 

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.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil flows, remains under siege despite Hegseth telling a press briefing ‘you don’t need to worry about it.’

Gas prices have hit $3.60 per gallon on average, up from $2.90 before the war, according to AAA.