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Iranian Missile Strike Hits Five US Air Force Tanker Aircraft at Saudi Air Base
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An Iranian missile strike targeting a US-operated airbase in Saudi Arabia damaged five American aerial refueling aircraft. The aircraft were reportedly hit while stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base.
According to The Wall Street Journal on March 14, the damaged aircraft are KC-135 Stratotanker refueling planes belonging to the US Air Force. The outlet reported that the aircraft were not destroyed but sustained damage and are currently undergoing repairs. No fatalities among US personnel were reported.
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The Wall Street Journal reported that the aircraft were located at Prince Sultan Air Base at the time of the strike. The installation hosts both US expeditionary forces and units of the Royal Saudi Air Force.
Saudi formations stationed at the base include the 4th, 6th, and 14th Air Wings, which operate support aircraft such as aerial refuelers, reconnaissance platforms, and airborne early warning and control systems.
According to The Wall Street Journal, aerial refueling aircraft have played a significant operational role in ongoing US and Israeli air operations in the region. Tankers enable fighter aircraft to extend their range by refueling in flight during missions toward and back from operational areas, including routes associated with operations linked to Iran.
The United States maintains a large tanker fleet, with more than 380 aerial refueling aircraft across its forces. The KC-135 Stratotanker remains the backbone of that fleet.
OSINT analyst Steffan Watkins noted on X that tanker aircraft activity has been particularly high in recent weeks. According to Watkins, as much as 75% of the tanker fleet has been airborne at various times during the period of heightened operations.
The developments come amid a series of recent incidents involving US tanker aircraft. On the night of March 13, a US military KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq. US Central Command confirmed that four of the six crew members aboard the aircraft were killed, while search and rescue operations continued.
US Central Command stated the crash occurred in what it described as “friendly airspace” during an operation referred to as Epic Fury. According to the command, two aircraft were involved in the incident: one crashed, while the second landed safely at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.
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