A pilot from Alabama who had recently become a dad to adorable twins has been named as one of the six US servicemembers killed this week in Operation Epic Fury. 

Alex Klinner, 33, had seven-month-old twins and a two-year-old son, his brother-in-law, James Harrill, said Saturday while confirming his death. 

‘It’s kind of heartbreaking to say: He was just a really good dad and really loved his family a lot — like a lot,’ Harrill said. 

Klinner had just been promoted to major in January and had been deployed for less than a week when the refueling aircraft he was aboard crashed in Iraq on Thursday. 

The US KC-135 plane went down in the west of the country, which authorities said was ‘friendly airspace’, and the tragedy was not caused by ‘hostile fire’. 

The Pentagon has not announced the identities of the individuals who died, but family began publicly mourning their loved ones. 

Tyler Simmons, 28, was named on Friday as one of the other airmen involved in the deadly crash on Thursday.

Simmons was one of three National Guard Airmen from Ohio who died in the crash.  

A pilot from Alabama who had recently become a dad to adorable twins has been named as one of the six US servicemembers killed this week in Operation Epic Fury

Alex Klinner, 33, had seven-month-old twins and a two-year-old son, his brother-in-law, James Harrill, said Saturday. Klinner is pictured above embracing his wife

This is a breaking news story with updates to follow.