{"id":344011,"date":"2026-03-13T10:08:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T10:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/344011\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T10:08:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T10:08:08","slug":"four-crew-members-of-us-refuelling-plane-that-went-down-in-western-iraq-confirmed-dead-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/344011\/","title":{"rendered":"Four crew members of US refuelling plane that went down in western Iraq confirmed dead \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Main PointsKey Reads<\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 1 minute ago<\/p>\n

Europe not facing the same economic threat as Ukraine war <\/p>\n

The European Central Bank is confronting the threat of another bout of war-induced inflation in the knowledge that this time is probably different, and it\u2019s better positioned to respond.<\/p>\n

With the escalation in Iran and a corresponding surge in energy costs stoking renewed bets on interest-rate hikes, officials are acutely aware of the echoes with 2022, when Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine ultimately sent consumer-price growth soaring out of control.<\/p>\n

But President Christine Lagarde and her colleagues are facing a set of circumstances that are largely distinct. The contrasts range from the constellation of monetary and fiscal policy settings now in force, to the state of the economy and the sources of energy supply.<\/p>\n

While market bets inspired by the need to avoid a repeat of the Ukraine aftermath are indeed forcing the ECB to consider the parallels and stress its readiness to act, officials are signaling that nothing will happen at next week\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are some similarities with 2022, but there are probably even more and major differences,\u201d said Jari Stehn, chief European economist at Goldman Sachs. \u201cSo recent developments definitely call for close monitoring, but there\u2019s also no need to exaggerate the comparison for now – Bloomberg <\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 4 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Macron describes death of French soldier in Iraq as \u2018unacceptable\u2019 <\/p>\n

French president Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion of the 7th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins from Varces was killed by an Iranian missile strike in the Ebril region of Iraq. <\/p>\n

Posting on X, Macron said: \u201cTo his family, to his brothers in arms, I want to express all the affection and solidarity of the Nation.Several of our soldiers have been wounded. <\/p>\n

\u201cFrance stands by their side and with their loved ones.This attack against our forces engaged in the fight against Daesh since 2015 is unacceptable.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir presence in Iraq is part of the strict framework of the fight against terrorism. The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks.\u201d <\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 21 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Four killed in US military plane crash <\/p>\n

The US military has just confirmed that four of the six US crew members on board a refuelling plane that went down in western Iraq have died. <\/p>\n

US Central Command (Centcom) said the accident was not as a result of enemy fire. <\/p>\n

Centcom said on Thursday evening that the KC-135 refuelling plane had gone down in \u201cfriendly airspace\u201d and a second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely.<\/p>\n

The names of the deceased have been withheld so their families can be contacted. <\/p>\n

The other two crew of the aircraft are still missing. <\/p>\n

L\u2019adjudant-chef Arnaud Frion du 7\u00e8me bataillon de chasseurs alpins de Varces est mort pour la France lors d\u2019une attaque dans la r\u00e9gion d\u2019Erbil en Irak.<\/p>\n

\u00c0 sa famille, \u00e0 ses fr\u00e8res d\u2019armes, je veux dire toute l\u2019affection et la solidarit\u00e9 de la Nation.<\/p>\n

Plusieurs de nos militaires\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 33 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Russia and Iran accused of attempting to \u2018hijack\u2019 global economy<\/p>\n

British foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has accused Russia and Iran of attempting to \u201chijack the global economy\u201d as Tehran continued to blockade a key oil shipping route.<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s new supreme leader has vowed to continue attacking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for ongoing US-Israeli strikes on his country.<\/p>\n

The blockade has seen oil prices jump to around $100 per barrel, threatening higher inflation across the globe.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the Press Association during a visit to Saudi Arabia, the foreign secretary linked the threat from Iran to that from Russia, a key ally of Tehran.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cWe have seen these links between Russia and Iran over an extended period of time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing it in terms of technology, we see it in terms of the approach, we see it in terms of these kinds of tactics, and we see it in terms of the way these two states try to support each other and try to benefit together from attempting to hijack the global economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cWe are very clear about the threat from both Russia and from Iran to the global economy and to all of our wellbeing.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Cooper declined to criticise the easing of American sanctions on some Russian oil in the face of rising prices, saying it was a \u201cspecific, targeted issue\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 58 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Donald Trump threatens Iran after new wave of attacks on Gulf states and Israel<\/p>\n

Iran has launched multiple attacks on Gulf Arab states, including dozens of drones at Saudi Arabia, following warnings from its new supreme leader about hosting American bases.<\/p>\n

The strikes were launched early Friday after US president Donald Trump threatened a major new retaliation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWatch what happens to these deranged scumbags today,\u201d Trump wrote in a social media post. \u201cIran\u2019s Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The comments came the day after Iran\u2019s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed to \u201cnot refrain from avenging the blood\u201d of Iranians killed, and warned Gulf Arab nations to shut US bases, saying the notion of American protection was \u201cnothing more than a lie\u201d.<\/p>\n

Intense air strikes landed around Iran\u2019s capital, Tehran, early Friday, just before rallies were due to begin for the annual Quds Day event in support of Palestinians. Despite the attacks, thousands of people took to the streets chanting \u201cdeath to Israel\u201d and \u201cdeath to America\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 1 hour ago<\/p>\n

Six crew members feared dead following US military aircraft crash<\/p>\n

A \u200cUS military refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq<\/a> on \u200cThursday in an incident US Central Command said involved \u200banother aircraft but was not the result of hostile or friendly fire.<\/p>\n

The United States<\/a> has \u200bsent a large number of aircraft into the \u2060Middle East to take part in \u200coperations \u200cagainst \u200bIran.<\/p>\n

In a statement, US Central Command said it was \u2060carrying out rescue \u200befforts after the US \u200bKC-135 refuelling aeroplane went down. The \u200csecond aircraft landed safely.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe \u200bincident occurred in friendly airspace during \u2060Operation Epic Fury, and \u2060rescue \u200befforts are ongoing,\u201d the statement said, using the name of the US operation against Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 1 hour ago<\/p>\n

The United States<\/a> has issued a 30-day waiver for countries to buy sanctioned Russian<\/a> \u200coil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea.<\/p>\n

US treasury secretary Scott Bessent<\/a> said the move, announced on Thursday, was a step to stabilise global energy markets roiled by the Iran war.<\/p>\n

Bessent said it was \u201cunfortunate\u201d the move could benefit Russia but maintained it was only for the short term.<\/p>\n

Moscow claimed on Friday it was \u201cincreasingly inevitable\u201d that Washington would lift sanctions. The US is \u201ceffectively acknowledging the obvious: without Russian oil, the global energy market cannot remain stable\u201d, Russia\u2019s economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev wrote on Telegram.<\/p>\n

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, after participating in a call with G7 leaders on Wednesday to discuss the impact of the Iran war on oil and gas markets, said now was not the time to relax sanctions against Russia.<\/p>\n

The paralysis of the strait of Hormuz \u201cin no way\u201d justifies lifting sanctions on Russia, French president Emmanuel Macron said after the call with other G7 leaders about the economic ramifications of the war in Iran.<\/p>\n

The story is here.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"SmokeSmoke rises above Dubai on Friday. Explosions rattled buildings in Dubai and a large cloud of smoke hung over a central area of the Middle East financial hub on March 13, AFP correspondents said. Photograph: AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n

The Iranian national team\u2019s response to Donald Trump:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe World Cup is a historic and international event, and its organizer is FIFA\u2014not any single country. The Iranian national team also qualified for this event with authority and through consecutive victories, becoming one of\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/ujCqudVpLF<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/oWIKWW8a1l<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Erfan Hoseiny \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddea (@Eri1806) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 1 hour ago<\/p>\n

The Government has signed an updated defence agreement with Britain designed to bolster maritime co-operation in tackling activity by the Russian \u201cshadow fleet\u201d.<\/p>\n

The defence memorandum of understanding us due to be announced on the fringes of the United Kingdom-Ireland summit being held in Cork on Friday.<\/p>\n

British prime minister Keir Starmer<\/a> flew to Cork on Thursday where he was met by Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin<\/a>, after first visiting Northern Ireland<\/a> where he met the First and Deputy First Ministers.<\/p>\n

It is understood that Minister for Defence Helen McEntee<\/a> and UK defence secretary John Healey signed the defence memorandum earlier this week, which is an update to a 2015 agreement between the two countries.<\/p>\n

You can read more here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Ronan McGreevy – 1 hour ago<\/p>\n

Small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) have called on the Government to introduce contingency plans to alleviate the impact of fuel price increases as a result of the war in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises (Isme) said many SMEs are being \u201cdisproportionately affected\u201d by the spike in fuel prices, with businesses across the retail and hospitality sectors facing particularly heavy energy bills. <\/p>\n

The group warned that if the current fuel cost crisis persists, many businesses will have \u201clittle choice\u201d but to pass these rising costs on to their customers or consumers.<\/p>\n

\u201cEssential service providers, including nursing homes and childcare facilities, are under significant strain as they cannot reduce energy consumption without compromising the care provided to vulnerable people and young children,\u201d Isme said. <\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore, Isme is calling on the Government to give serious consideration to measures that will mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs and to ensure a contingency plan is in place to support SMEs if the crisis continues or escalates further.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isme chief executive Neil McDonnell said SMEs are being \u201chit hardest\u201d by rising fuel costs, particularly those in energy-intensive sectors such as retail and hospitality. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor many SMEs in Ireland, energy is not a discretionary expense, it is fundamental to keeping their doors open and serving their customers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n