An Israeli airstrike on March 6, 2026, at Tehran Mehrabad International Airport destroyed the last operational Boeing 747-100 worldwide, a 55-year-old KC-747 aerial refueling tanker operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force. Registered as 5-8107 with manufacturer serial number 20082, the Boeing 747-131 variant had been converted in November 1975 with refueling equipment and internal fuel transfer systems.
The aircraft, parked on the apron, sustained fire and structural damage across its fuselage and wings, as shown in satellite imagery. This strike reportedly destroyed up to sixteen aircraft linked to Revolutionary Guard Quds Force units. The KC-747’s large internal fuel capacity exceeded 48,000 US gallons (over 180,000 liters), enabling it to extend the operational radius of Iranian fighter jets during missions.
Defense analyst Babak Taghvaee identified it as the world’s last surviving KC-747 (Boeing 747-131F tanker). The Israeli Air Force has not detailed the operation, but it follows a 2025 strike at Mashhad Airport that destroyed a KC-707 tanker, not a KC-747 as initially claimed. That earlier raid, at 2,300 kilometers, was Israel’s longest-range attack on Iran to date.
The Boeing 747-100, introduced in 1970, features a 59.6-meter wingspan, 70.6-meter length, and four Pratt & Whitney JT9D turbofans. Its maximum takeoff weight is 333,400 kg, with a range of 5,300 nautical miles. Post-1979 Iranian Revolution, this tanker remained in service for over five decades, making its loss a significant blow to Iran’s aerial refueling capability. A Boeing 747-270C was also damaged in prior incidents.