The statement said two aircraft were involved in the incident, which occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, the name given to the ongoing U.S. military campaign against Iran. One aircraft went down. The second landed safely. Central Command said the crash was not the result of hostile fire or friendly fire, suggesting the incident involved a mechanical failure or a mishap during refueling operations. A separate KC-135 operating from Israel also declared an emergency on the same day, though it was not immediately clear whether that aircraft was the second one referenced in the statement.