An Iranian missile strike has reportedly damaged several U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft stationed in Saudi Arabia amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.

A March 13, 2026, report by The Wall Street Journal, citing two U.S. officials, said five aerial refueling tankers were struck while parked on the ground at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

The aircraft were reportedly damaged but not destroyed, and are currently undergoing repairs, according to one of the officials. No casualties were reported in the missile strike.

Officials said the tankers were hit during an Iranian missile barrage targeting the Saudi base earlier this week.

The Kenya Times sought official comment from the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) regarding the reported strike and damage to U.S. refueling aircraft, but no response had been received at the time of publication.

Iranian missile strike follows deadly U.S. tanker crash

This comes after the U.S. military confirmed that a refuelling aircraft crash in Iraq killed multiple American service members during an operation linked to the war with Iran.

CENTCOM said a Boeing KC‑135 Stratotanker went down in western Iraq while supporting operations under Operation Epic Fury, the campaign targeting Iranian military infrastructure. The command confirmed that all six U.S. service members were killed in the crash.

Officials noted the aircraft was operating in friendly airspace and emphasized that the loss was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire, indicating the possibility of a mechanical or operational issue.

“All six crew members aboard a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft that went down in western Iraq are now confirmed deceased. The aircraft was lost while flying over friendly airspace March 12 during Operation Epic Fury.”

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CENTCOM also revealed that two aircraft were involved in the incident. One aircraft crashed in western Iraq while the second aircraft landed safely.

“Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely,” the command said earlier in a statement.

Authorities said additional details would be released once investigations progress and the families of the service members have been notified.

Following the crash, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-aligned militias operating in the region, claimed responsibility for shooting down the U.S. aircraft.

In a statement, the group said it had downed the tanker aircraft “in defense of our country’s sovereignty and airspace.”

U.S. military officials have not confirmed that claim, as they earlier reiterated that the crash was not linked to hostile fire.

Rising casualties across the region

The tanker crash adds to the growing number of casualties tied to the conflict. As of March 14, at least eleven U.S. service members have died during or from injuries sustained in the operation against Iran.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that a French soldier was killed in Erbil, located in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.

The French military said the death occurred during a drone attack targeting troops conducting counterterrorism training with Iraqi partners.

Macron said several other soldiers were wounded in the strike. Earlier reports from the French military indicated that six soldiers were injured in the attack and transported to nearby medical facilities.

The developments come amid escalating military operations across the Middle East as the United States continues its campaign against Iranian military assets.

Recent U.S. strikes have targeted key Iranian infrastructure, while Iranian-aligned groups have increased attacks on American and allied positions in Iraq and the wider region.